Would you believe me if I said that in 5 years’ time the number of doctors in the world might be halved? Can you imagine being surgically operated by a robot? This sounds like something from a futuristic movie, however this in fact already happening.
Robotic assisted surgery (RAS) allows surgeons to perform a variety of complex procedures with more precision, flexibility and control than what was previously possible (Mayo Clinic, 2017). In 2000 Robotic surgery with the da Vinci Surgical System was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Since this time, the use of robotic assistance in surgery has expanded exponentially (Kirkpatrick and LaGrange, 2017). This system includes a camera arm and mechanical arm each with surgical instruments attached to them. The surgeon sits behind a computer with a console which gives the surgeon a magnified 3D high-definition view.
So why would people rather be surgically operated by a robot than a professionally trained surgeon?
Robotic assisted surgery offers many advantages as it makes surgical procedures minimally invasive. Typical advantages include fewer complications, less pain and blood loss, quicker recovery, smaller scars and quicker procedures (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Furthermore, the improved ergonomics and dexterity compared to traditional procedures allow for a shorter learning curve for surgeons (Kirkpatrick and LaGrange, 2017).
New robotic drill performs surgery 50 times faster than before. The University of Utah has created an automated machine which reduces a complicated cranial surgery from two hours to two-and-a-half minutes. (Yurieff, 2017)
Often times patients travel from afar in order to be treated or operated by certain specialized surgeons. With robotic surgery it may be possible to eventually complete surgical procedures from across the world. In this case patients in critical condition can stay at home, yet still receive the care from the best specialist surgeons in the world.
Aside from offering patient benefits, RAS offers many economic benefits for both the patient as well as the hospital. Due to less invasive procedures, patients are able to have shorter hospital days and are also able to return to their daily activities and work much faster. (Kirkpatrick and LaGrange, 2017)
So far robotic surgery sounds like a logical improvement, however there are also risks involved. As the current technology involves a robot as assistance, next to human error there is also the added risk of mechanical failure. There are possibilities that mechanical problems are experienced during the procedure, possibly causing the robotic arms not to respond as expected. Furthermore, the energy source from the robot machinery could potentially cause internal burn injuries from the cautery device (Kirkpatrick and LaGrange, 2017). There are possibilities that mechanical problems are experienced during the procedure, possibly causing the robotic arms not to respond as expected.
Overall, many professionals argue that the benefits of robot assisted surgery far outweigh the risks. As RAS is increasingly used in a widespread amount of surgeries around the world, techniques will be refined and developed.
Although robotic surgery offers advances in surgical practice, can you imagine the ethical issues around the topic? Think of equipment safety and reliability, information provision and patient confidentiality, just to mention a few.
In the future, will we ever have to go to hospitals? Currently robots are being used in the assistance of surgeries, however, their usage has increased exponentially in the past decade. The entire value chain of surgical procedures may become entirely robotized. Although this offers many surgical advances, it is vital to consider the risks associated with such robotization of a critical procedure.
References
Kirkpatrick, T. and LaGrange, C. (2017). Robotic Surgery: Risks vs. Rewards | AHRQ Patient Safety Network. [online] Patient Safety Network. Available at: https://psnet.ahrq.gov/webmm/case/368/robotic-surgery-risks-vs-rewards- [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
Mayo Clinic. (2017). Robotic surgery. [online] Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/robotic-surgery/basics/definition/prc-20013988 [Accessed 18 Sep. 2017].
Yurieff, K. (2017). New robotic drill performs skull surgery 50 times faster. [online] CNNMoney. Available at: http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/01/technology/robotic-drill-surgery/index.html [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
Hello Maxime, thank your for such an interesting blog post.
In my opinion, robotic assistance is definitely worth applying in standard, planned surgery procedures, when the surgeon knows exactly how to operate the robot step-by-step. The patient can assess all pros and cons and express his compliance with robotic assistance surgery. However, in difficult or emergency surgeries the use of robots might raise additional risks, for instance, mechanical problems or not-responding equipment, as you mentioned in your post. In critical situations, when surgeons are saving one’s life, these issues might appear crucial.
Moreover, in emergency cases, often the patient is not able to say his approval of robotic assistance use and the doctors have to decide themselves whether use the robots or not. In case of technology failure, especially when using it without patient’s approval, what are the legal consequences for the surgeon, for the hospital and for the company, which produced the robot? I hope, that in the near future we will get the answers for these questions. At the moment, I think, the use of robotic assistance surgery is a personal choice.
Is it really a personal choice? Often, some procedures already only rely on the robotics of e.g. Davinci. As a patient you don’t really have a choice, if you need to undergo that surgery to save your life, right? Also, many aren’t aware of the risks and benefits and they just follow what their doctors say is the right one…
This is such a dilemma. At the moment, the benefits seem to outweigh the risks. However, when the risks do occur, it can possibly mean the loss of a human life.
Robots can do many goods. It can help surgeons be better surgeons. However, due to the popularity of robotics right now, it also means that robotics will possibly replace manual surgery in the future. What if the next generation of doctors only know how to do surgery with robots instead of manually? Just like, how the medicine right now often is based on graphics and stats that we find from blood tests and imaging, instead of clinical acumen. Is that the future that we want to go?
Really like the article you wrote. I think that, as with every type of technological advancement, risks will always be prevalent. However, with robotic surgeons it becomes a very ethical question. I certainly agree that patients can accidents can occur at the hand of a robot, but accidents even occur with human surgeons. If the aggregate benefits of robot surgeons outweigh the risks, then why not?
Healthcare would be so much cheaper and we will not have to deal with overcrowds at the hospitals anymore. Operations and treatments will be available for so many people, even in third world countries people can benefit. I think that we should look at the bright sight of technology. Only when we embrace all the possibilities, we can think of all the possible risks and reduce them to a minimum level.