Basics On Robotic Surgery Houston Residents Need To Know

By Debra Butler


Robotic surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgical operation in which the surgeon is assisted by a small robot in their work. The robot has arms to which the necessary surgical instruments are attached. It is important to point out that it is not the robot that conducts the operation. Rather it is the surgeon but with a little help. There are a number of facts on robotic surgery Houston residents would find informative.

One needs to do several things as part of the preparation process before they undergo the procedure. Many of them are similar to the requirements for other operations. Such may include, for instance, the determination of platelet and hemoglobin as a means of assessing the risk of bleeding. If one is on drugs that may increase the risk of blood loss, they will be asked to stop them ten days before the day of the operation.

The first thing that is done when you get to the operating room is to receive the anesthesia. This may be regional or general depending on the medical condition. The next thing is the creation of three small incisions over your tummy. These three are used for the placement of equipment. The surgeon makes his way to a computer station from where they conduct the rest of the operation. An endoscope connected to a monitor guides them through the process.

Modern robotic equipment are capable of generating 3-D images onto the monitor. This effectively recreates the anatomical region for the surgeon. If you have been put on regional anesthesia (such as spinal block), you will remain awake and may have an opportunity to see the operation taking place. The robot is programmed to match the hand movements of the surgeon and these are transmitted to the tiny surgical instruments at the operation site.

Robot assisted surgeries have been used and are still used for a wide range of conditions. These include, among others, the repair of ventral hernias, radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy, tubal ligation and reversal, reduction of cancerous growths, repair of cardiac valves and coronary artery bypass among others. The technique may not be suitable for very complicated cases where manual manipulation is a necessity.

Compared to the open technique and other endoscopic options, there are a number of advantages that will be realized. One of them is the fact that greater precision of cutting can be achieved due to the computerized assistance that is used here. This makes it possible to operate in very small spaces without damaging the adjacent structures. The surgeon sits comfortably hence is less likely to suffer from fatigue that is common during long procedures.

A few challenges may prevent optimal utilization of this option in handling routine surgical operations. Among them is the fact that accessibility is often a problem since most centers are yet to acquire the equipment. Related to the same, is the absence of adequately trained personnel to operate the equipment. Most experienced surgeons find it difficult to abandon the methods that they have used for many years.

As is the case with many other types of surgeries, some complications may be encountered when this technique is used. However, the risk is less than that associated with other techniques such as the open procedure and conventional laparoscopy. The most commonly encountered complications include bleeding, reactions to the anesthetic drugs used infections. The risk of these complications can be lowered even further by having adequate preparation.




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