Robotic Surgery
Robotic surgery is considered the highest level of technology that cardiac surgery has reached.
Robotic surgeries are performed through much smaller incisions, without stopping the heart, and offer a great advantage to patients both cosmetically and during recovery. Since there is no bone or muscle incision and the wound is very small, patients can get up much faster after surgery, pain in the postoperative period is minimized, and problems related to the wound are largely avoided.
In robotic surgeries, the surgeon sits at the main console (master unit) with a three-dimensional imaging system remote from the patient, whereas the arms of the robot in the chest (slave unit) simultaneously follow the surgeon’s hand movements to perform the surgical procedure. A second surgeon at the patient’s head performs the exchange of surgical instruments at the robotic arms and other procedures. In the da Vinci robotic system, the surgical instruments can perform all the movements of a human wrist can in the thorax.
What is Robotic Surgery?
Robotic surgeries are performed through much smaller incisions, without stopping the heart, and offer a great advantage to patients both cosmetically and during recovery. Since there is no bone or muscle incision and the wound is very small, patients can get up much faster after surgery, pain in the postoperative period is minimized, and problems related to the wound are largely avoided.
How is Robotic Surgery Performed?
In robotic surgeries, the surgeon sits at the main console (master unit) with a three-dimensional imaging system remote from the patient, whereas the arms of the robot in the chest (slave unit) simultaneously follow the surgeon’s hand movements to perform the surgical procedure. A second surgeon at the patient’s head performs the exchange of surgical instruments at the robotic arms and other procedures. In the da Vinci robotic system, the surgical instruments can perform all the movements of a human wrist can in the thorax.
For whom can robotic surgery be used?
- Robotic surgery is mainly used in coronary bypass surgery, mitral valve repair, and arrhythmia surgery.
- However, robotic surgery cannot be used in every patient.
- With current techniques, robotic surgery is not preferred for bypass surgery on more than two arteries.