Robot-assisted surgery can overcome many of the difficulties posed by laparoscopic surgery in gynaecological procedures, according to a review published today in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist.
The main advantages of the robotic surgery are that the surgeon can control the endoscope using the operating arms and foot and pedal and is not reliant on an assistant. There are different sensitivity settings on the console enabling the surgeon to choose the degree of movement of the instrument and the surgeon is seated with their arms rested, lowering fatigue. Another advantage of robotic surgery is that fewer errors are made than with straight-stick surgery says the review. A recent review of hysterectomies compared operations conducted by robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery. The results showed that robotic surgery was quicker, reduced the hospital stay of the patient and resulted in less blood loss. Cost is the biggest drawback to the use of this technology, with the initial cost of purchasing the equipment combined with the servicing charges. Furthermore, the robot takes about 20 minutes to set up and takes up floor space in the operating theatre. It also requires training of doctors to use the equipment properly, training of the theatre staff to set up for operating and a group of trained nurses needs to be established to keep setup times to a minimum.
