Even with a quarter century in use, surgical robots seem like a shiny new toy in healthcare. The number of companies incorporating some form of robotics into their products has these technological innovations constantly in the headlines.
But in parallel, surgeons are growing cynical that this is marketing hype, and that this science fiction operating room resource is just that… fiction.
Yes, it is true that surgical robots can help improve precision and outcomes, but only marginally, and no more than the strides already being made with image guidance for surgical precision.
Robots are inherently ignorant—that is until we make them smart. They will never replace the “human surgeon robot”! The masterful human-computer bore robots into existence and installed their intelligence.
Are robotics going away? Hardly. They are here to stay, but let’s look at them through a realistic lens and recognize they:
- Come at a high cost, making them available (today) only in larger health systems with deeper pockets than their community or rural hospital counterparts at a time when health equity and access are under the microscope,
- Can experience technical challenges before or during procedures which can lead to complications and delays,
- Still require training and skill that may take dozens of surgeries to reach proficiency,
- Don’t save O.R. time – at least not out of the gate; in fact, surgeries may take much longer and run the risk of complications from infection or prolonged anesthesia,
- Distance the surgeon from the tactility of traditional surgery, making it difficult to assess tissue resistance
In comparison, although admittedly apples-and-oranges in terms of application, image-guided navigation systems continue to offer:
- A truly shortened O.R. time by providing precision to streamline the surgical process,
- Surgeons the tactile feedback to assess tissue properties.
- Ease of learning without a steep curve to reach proficiency.
- A significantly reduced need for continuous fluoroscopy hence lowering radiation exposure for both patients and medical staff.
If you desire to add technology and advancements for patient outcomes, consider the benefits of image guided navigation that help you achieve many of your goals at much less cost than surgical robotics, whose marketing luster may be diminishing.
CBYON Eclipse™ is enhancing the safety and efficiency of surgeries while allowing surgeons to navigate with tremendous accuracy. Manufactured by Med Surgical Services, the company’s mission is to democratize surgical navigation making it affordable for -- and available to -- any healthcare facility. With applications in cranial, spine and ENT, CBYON’s rich feature set is becoming the new standard of care in image guided surgery.
Learn more at: www.cbyon.com. See beyond with CBYON™.
References
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11701-023-01801-w
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/robotic-surgery/about/pac-20394974
https://wjps.bmj.com/content/5/4/e000482
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00167-022-07031-1