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Posted on Sep 22, 2002, 12 p.m.
By Bill Freeman
Surgeons at a hospital in the UK are hoping to let robots take over their operating theaters. Trials of the revolutionary computer-controlled da Vinci
Surgeons at a hospital in the UK are hoping to let robots take over their operating theaters. Trials of the revolutionary computer-controlled da Vinci™ Surgical System developed by Intuitive Surgery Inc have shown that it significantly reduces the recovery time and risk of complications for patients undergoing complex heart surgery. The robotic arms can make such tiny incisions and precise movements that procedures which typically require open-heart surgery can be carried out via just a few small incisions in the chest. According to Intuitive Surgical, the da Vinci Surgical System is the first totally "intuitive" laparoscopic surgical robot in the world. It is also the only operative surgical robotic system to have been approved by the US FDA. The robot can be used for several types of surgery, including general laparoscopic surgery, thoracoscopic (chest) surgery and laparoscopic prostate surgery. There are also trials currently taking place that are testing the effectiveness of the device for mitral valve repair, atrial septal defect repair, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery.
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.bbc.co.uk on the 28th August 2002 Additional information from www.intuitivesurgical.com
