Thursday, July 28, 2016

Important Facts On Robotic Assisted Surgery Houston Residents Should Know

By Margaret Myers


In the last few years, there have been great advances in techniques employed in surgery. The aim of all this progress is to reduce operative risk and to increase the chances of getting favorable outcomes. The entry of robotic assisted surgery is one of the developments that has helped achieve this objective. It is a technique that has been received with enthusiasm and is now being used for a variety of operations. There are a number of things regarding robotic assisted surgery Houston patients need to know.

Generally, the robotic technique was developed as an improvement of the other minimally invasive surgeries still in use. Its major advantage over the other methods is that greater precision can be achieved since the element of human error has been reduced as much as possible. Another important benefit is that it allows the surgeon to see the surgical field more clearly.

The main feature of this technique is the fact that the surgeon does not interact directly with their instruments. The instruments are instead fixed to a robot that is under his control. The robot is controlled either through a computer or using a piece of equipment known as a telemanipulator. This equipment reproduces the hand movements that are made by the surgeon and transmits them to the end effectors.

There are a number of developments that have taken place in relation to the use of this equipment since it was first adopted. Among them is the development of 3-D imaging that has made the operating field that is projected to the screen even clearer. This has served to make the work of the surgeon easier. Another development is the ability of surgeons to operate remotely even though this is yet to be tried practically.

In some cases, the robotic technique has not been adopted fully but computerized devices are assisting some aspects of the procedure. For instance, in a technique known as enhanced open surgery, the surgeon performs the traditional open technique but also uses the robot for some actions such as the spreading of ribs. The computerized devices have the ability to achieve smoother maneuvers hence a reduction in the degree of tissue trauma.

There are many operations that are performed using this technique. These range from cardiovascular, gynecological and urological surgeries. Specific examples include the repair of hernias, removal of the prostate (prostatectomy), kidney transplants, coronary artery bypass procedures, tubal reversal and cardiac valve repair among others. This list continues to grow by the day.

In spite of the high level of computerization (and precision) associated with the technique, risks for complications still exist. Complications that may be encountered during the operation include excessive blood loss and injury to other organs (such as the intestines, the solid organs, major blood vessels and nerves). Infections may set in during the postoperative period. The overall risk is lower than that associated with the other methods.

Robotic assisted surgery is carried out by the surgeon and not the robot contrary to common belief. The robot should be viewed as a piece of specialized equipment which has to be controlled by a trained surgeon. Put in other words, the robot acts as an extension of the hands of a surgeon. Before you are operated using this technique, there is a need to be taken through a comprehensive evaluation meant to determine your suitability as a candidate.




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