Robotic Surgery - The Benefits of Technology

It may seem like science fiction, but robotic surgery is becoming a reality in operating rooms all over the country. Naturally, those ORs with robots doing part of the work are still vastly outnumbered by those that don't. In your average operating room, you'll find one or two surgeons, an anesthesiologist, and at least a few nurses. This is the case even for very simple surgeries. By introducing automation into the picture, hospitals and clinics are able to eliminate much of this personnel. While this may not sound great for the unemployment line, progress doesn't stop to save jobs. Keep reading to learn some of the benefits of moving forward with this technology.

Long Distance Operations

While still a remote possibility for the near future, there is nearly no doubt that robotic surgery will eventually open up the door to allowing a surgeon to perform work without even being in the room. And, if he doesn't need to be in the room, he doesn't need to be at the hospital. We've all heard stories of patients needing an airlift to a hospital where a sufficiently competent surgeon can perform a complicated, life-saving operation. Sadly, the patient doesn't always make it. The only thing standing in the way of implementing this today is latency. That is to say, there is a delay between the doctor's movements and the response of the robot's arms. With time, that latency will be eliminated.

Lowering Costs

Initially, the costs of implementing the sophisticated technology to perform robotic surgery will be exorbitant. But it's not an ongoing cost, like a salary, for instance. Once a piece of equipment is paid for, there is no more cost. This could have exciting impacts on the cost of healthcare in a country where it is a major issue. Always at the forefront of any national political dialogue, the cost of healthcare in America has gone through the roof. People are looking for ways to make it manageable in their own lives, but any technology that can allow us to cut workforce and automate complex operations will bring the price down considerably.

Eliminating Fatigue

If you've ever been through a major operation, you already know this, but these operations take a very long time. Operations lasting eight hours or more are not unheard of by any means. Regardless of how skilled the doctor, that length of time spent on a stressful, precise activity is going to lead to fatigue. Fatigue leads to mistakes. With robotic surgery, fatigue is largely taken out of the equation. The doctor must still remain in charge of his mental acuity, but such human failings as a shaking hand will be removed. Operations will get much more precise and success rates should skyrocket.