Robots

I just held the future in my hands.

De Vinci is trying to sell the hospital a surgical robot, primarily for urologic procedures, but can be used for any laparoscopic procedure.

This thing is basically a robot that takes a surgeons inputs from a console and moves instruments inside the patient. For me, the demo was a close to flying a fighter plane that I will ever get.

I am admittedly fond of operating any sort of machinery, but to operate a machine that helps me do surgery by improving visualization, comfort, and ability was just a huge treat. I probably spent an hour messing with the thing. I am not one to jump on the latest surgical tech bandwagon either, but this thing definitely excited me.

The robot is totally intuitive and reminiscent of playing a video game. Most similar actually to microsurgery operating with a microscope, but way more comfortable. It allows you to see in 3D, control the camera, and instruments all with your hands on two tiny controllers. Within a minute I was easily tying knots, suturing, whatever. Essentially, it takes away a lot of the technical difficulties associated with advanced laparoscopic surgery, and allows the surgeon to focus on the case at hand.

Things I liked:

3-D visualization
Comfortable operating position
Very intuitive control positions
Incredibly precise control motions
Ability to increase or decrease instrument tracking speed (similar to the tracking speed of your mouse)
Tremor filtration
Extra motion provided by the instrument tips. This was most impressive and reminded me of Doc Oc's extra limbs in Spiderman 2.
Ability to step away and have the instruments stay static just where they were.

Things I did not like:

Probably a bit clunky to get set up initially.

Extra waste from special drapes

The angled camera will angle, but the horizon angles with the camera..not acceptable. Needs a separate horizon and angle adjustments.

Does not currently have a micro lense or micro instrument set up.

They are currently not marketing this instrument for microsurgery which is a huge mistake IMO. The skills transfer over easily, and what microsurgeon would not want their tremor filtered out or the ability to stretch a bit without the instruments moving away from the field, or the increased comfort, or the attenuation of instrument movements? This thing is a microsurgeon's dream, but they are not going there yet.

Not to mention the options for remote surgery (I do a surgery in New York from Prescott), or simulation/training opportunities (similar to airline pilots).

Could I do the cases I do without this thing....sure. Could I do them better with it....no doubt. This thing is the technology of the future. Do we need it in Prescott. Probably not, but I would make every use of it I could if it were here.