Robotic or computer-assisted surgery

Technology offers us the ability to advance in the field of medicine, with the implementation of robotic surgery and computer-assisted surgery

Technological advances are present in many aspects of our daily lives, from robots responsible for domestic chores, such as those used to clean floors, those that help us in the kitchen, making it easier to prepare recipes, or the latest to have entered our homes, virtual assistants such as Alexa, Google Home or Amazon Echo, to the speed in data transmission that facilitates the exchange of information, constantly improving in terms of speed and quantity.

As in our homes, the use of robots is becoming more normal in many production processes where human capital is being replaced by the use of these smart machines.

One of the areas where robots and technological advances are providing better results is the field of medicine and, more specifically, their use in surgeries.

Robotic surgery systems

It is no longer science fiction for a robot to perform an operation in an operating room with maximum precision, without fatigue, and always under the supervision of a medical professional. What robots allow for, together with improved connectivity thanks to the implementation of 5G, is the possibility for the doctor to be thousands of miles away from the operating theatre.

Robotic surgery can be divided in three areas, according to the degree of intervention of the doctor:

Supervised: in this case, the robot is the main protagonist of the surgery, responsible for carrying out a series of actions programmed in advance by a medical professional.
Remote surgery: In this case, the doctor is in charge of handling the robot directly. Thanks to technological advances, this allows the surgeon to be thousands of miles away from the operating theatre.
Shared control: in this case, the surgeon performs the operation with the support of a robot that increases their capacity to handle surgical instruments.

Computer-assisted surgery

Another benefit offered by technological advances in the medical field is the ability to perform computer-assisted surgery. This technique is based on the creation of a highly accurate virtual image and precise 3D models of the patient's body, both of the tissues and normal structures.

This allows for surgical planning, as well as guidance or information regarding the progress of the surgery. These techniques that use technology achieve minimally invasive surgical procedures with the advantages that this entails, as well as reducing the time spent in hospital and the after-effects.

Furthermore, with the 3D model, medical professionals can study and simulate surgical intervention virtually, in order to assess possible unforeseen events and make decisions in advance.

All these advances are transforming operating theatres into smart places where the surgeon has access to the patient's history, analytical tests and X-rays. Once the operation has begun, the doctor has the ability to better see the affected area and avoid areas of healthy tissue around it, setting out the field of action so that the patient recovers more quickly and without added complications.