ROBOTIC SURGERY: A CRITICAL EVALUATION

Abstract

The recent introduction of surgical robotics into the operating room offers a significant break through in the way surgery is conducted. It combines technological and clinical breakthroughs in developing new robotic systems and surgical techniques to improve the quality and outcome of surgery. These breakthroughs are based on more than a decade of innovation in the field of robotics in both academia and industry. The scope of this review covers the fundamental concepts and approaches utilized in surgical robotics. A detailed review of seven FDA approved and commercially available systems is presented in terms of the clinical procedure conducted by each robot along with the associated problems and needs, as well as the system architecture. The capabilities and merits of surgical robots are then contrasted with the related field of computer assisted surgery. The revolutionary process involved with the introduction of surgical robotics system into the operating room is still in its infancy. The review article finishes with a discussion of the main difficulties facing robotic surgery and a prediction of future progress.
Keywords: Surgery, Robotics, technology, surgical robots.