Training for Robotic Surgery
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Training for Robotic Surgery: What it Takes to be a Robotic Surgeon

The human body is prone to illnesses, diseases, and wounds. We all visit a hospital at some point for various reasons. An ordinary cold, cough, or sneezing might not be rugged. Still, issues like an unfortunate accident with significant wounds, burns, or such incidences need the careful attention of a doctor.

A surgeon operates on the injuries of a patient. A surgeon looks after a patient's medical history and performs the surgery according to the patient's medical condition. The procedure may involve various types of medical help like X-rays, scans, and other procedures for more profound and accurate findings.

What is Robotic Surgery?

Surgeries involving organs like the heart, brain, pancreas, and many such complicated sites are sometimes challenging for a surgeon. Under such circumstances, robotic surgery comes as an assistant for a surgeon.

Robotic surgery is a procedure where a robot assists a surgeon to reach in tight and compact spaces that a surgeon can't reach easily. Robotic surgery requires small incisions. Hence, it isn't a scary process for a patient. The machine's robotic arms are attached to a small camera that can be inserted inside the patient through small incisions for a 3D and clear view of the surgical site.

Let us have a glance at some of the positive as well as damaging effects of robotic surgery:

Advantages of Robotic Surgery

  • Quicker Surgeries
    Open surgeries require long incisions and stitching of the back of those incisions. It lengthens the time of open surgery. The surgeon also has to reach the surgical area and has to operate on the area with precision.
    Robotic surgery involves smaller incisions and a perfect view of the surgical area. It helps the surgeon locate the area with ease and operate with ease. Smaller incisions and the assistance of robotic arms help complete a surgery quickly. Hence, robotic surgeries are quicker compared to open and traditional surgeries.
  • Low Blood Loss and Scar Marks
    Robotic surgeries require smaller incisions to insert robotic arms in a patient. Hence, a patient experiences less blood loss, unlike an open surgery. Scar marks can be an issue for many in open surgeries. The scars of the stitches do not fade away in a day or two. It's a time-consuming process. Robotic surgery is a helpful method in such situations. Small incisions result in more minor scar marks.
  • Easy to reach Compact Surgical Areas
    Sometimes it isn't easy for a surgeon to reach compact and tight spaces during surgery. Under such conditions, the arms of the robotic machine easily reach the compact surgical areas. The camera attached to the arms helps to show a 3D image of the surgical area for a better view.

Disadvantages of Robotic Surgery

  • Technical Issues

A machine is a man made thing and hence is prone to technical issues. Robotic surgery involves using a machine with information fed by the surgeon. The robot itself doesn't perform the surgery. Hence, a doctor needs precise and perfect training to feed accurate information for a perfect surgery.

There are times when the robot might face technical issues and glitches. It might lead to issues and barriers in performing an accurate and precise surgery. Such issues are undeniable and act as a barrier in robotic surgeries.

  • Low Availability

Though science has advanced beyond our imaginations, hospitals still have incomplete medical facilities. Still, some hospitals do not have the option of robotic surgery. Hence, patients needing it, especially in remote areas, are deprived of the facility.

  • High in Cost

Robotic surgery involves using high-tech machinery: the more machinery is used, the more the medical facility costs. Hence, affording a robotic surgery might burn a hole in your pocket. Therefore, many people step back due to the high cost of the surgery, even if they need it. 

Training for Robotic Surgery

There are myths about robotic surgery among many patients and their families. Many people misunderstand the procedure of robotic surgery as a robot performing the surgery itself, but this is not the scenario. The robot acts as an assistant to the surgeon and helps out to perform surgery with greater precision.

Let us have a look at some of the vital steps involved in training for robotic surgery:

  • Knowledge of Patient Positioning and Placement of Ports

Basic knowledge of placing ports during a laparoscopic surgery proves beneficial while training a surgeon to perform robotic surgery. Placing ports and arms of the robotic console involves similar training to perfect insert the robotic arms through small incisions.

Placing a patient accurately according to the machine is also a part of the training for robotic surgery. The patient must be appropriately placed so that the surgeon, nurses, and patient-side assistant can access the patient properly.

  • Role of Console Training

Console training plays a huge role in training a surgeon for robotic surgery. Training for concepts like camera, pedal, and finger control is provided to surgeons to perform robotic surgery. The training also involves information about troubleshooting the console. A machine requires troubleshooting at some or the other time for smooth and barrier-free working.

  • Virtual Reality Simulators

Simulators help get basic knowledge and hands-on practice before performing the actual robotic surgery. Virtual reality simulators help train a surgeon to perform robotic surgery.

The senior and experienced robotic surgeons feed the movements to be performed in the robotic machine, which the trainee surgeon can mimic. It helps the trainee understand the complete procedure professionally and experience the actual scenarios experienced by the trained robotic surgeons. 

To sum up

Robotic surgery has its advantages and disadvantages. The form of treatment has made a massive contribution in mankind to heal a disease successfully, considered a dream decades ago. However, training a surgeon to perform a robotic surgery is not a cakewalk. The training covers all the aspects and possible consequences that can be observed during surgery.

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FAQ'S

Q. What is robotic surgery?
A. A robotic surgery is a procedure in which a robotic console efficiently assists the surgeon in complex surgery in compact spaces.

Q. What are the advantages of robotic surgery?
A. Robotic surgery requires small incisions compared to open surgery. The surgery also requires small incisions, less blood loss, and low scar marks.

Q. What are the setbacks of robotic surgery?
A. Robotic surgery, though, has multiple advantages but also has its set of disadvantages. Issues like technical problems, improper training, slow transfer of information, and many such issues can be faced during robotic surgery.

Q. What are the essential components of robotic surgery?
A. Some essential elements of robotic surgery involve dry lab training, patient side training, patient positioning and port placement, and many other basic concepts.

Q. Does a robot perform robotic surgery?
A. It is a massive myth that just a robot does robotic surgery. The surgery involves assisting a surgeon in performing the surgery. The robotic arms insert inside a patient through small incisions to reach the surgical sites easily.

Q. How are surgical robots trained?
A. Imitating the operations conducted by a surgeon is a method through which surgical robots are taught. The surgeon feeds each step with precision for perfect surgery without any flaws.

Q. Can robotic surgery be performed by any doctor/surgeon?
A. No, not any doctor/surgeon can perform robotic surgery. The surgeon performing a robotic surgery is well-trained by the professional surgeon, has to go through multiple surgery simulations, and then a surgeon can perform a robotic surgery.

Reference Links

  • https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22178-robotic-surgery
  • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5486586/

PLEASE NOTE: The medical/health information on our website is for information purposes and not a substitute for medical advice.
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