Robotic Surgery Benefits and Disadvantages Rafael Mart í nez and H éctor Rebollo

1. Robotic Surgery Benefits and Disadvantages Rafael Martínez and HéctorRebollo Caribbean Computing Center for Excellence ABSTRACT DISCUSSION Robots are computerized and mechanized systems that are used to perform from simple tasks to complex tasks. They are also machines capable of imitating human reactions. Robots operate automatically based on a given command. Since they were first introduced in surgery by the year 1987, they have become a huge advantage for surgeons and patients as well. Robotic surgery is one of the ways robotics is developing incredibly fast, considering this specialty is practically new. It can change the way of surgery in operation rooms and be a great benefit for the patients and the surgeons. There are a lot of aspects in which robotic surgery can be a rewarding advancement in technology. Robotic surgery systems are more stable than human hands, and can also be controlled at a distance, so the need of the surgeon being present at the surgery room, eventually, will not be so important. Despite all this, there are disadvantages and problems that come about from the increasing use of this technology. This research project deals with the presentation of potential benefits and disadvantages of the use of the Robotic Surgery Technology as reported in the professional literature. As seen on the results, the development of robotic surgery would really be a great advantage for many people. The main one is that soon surgeons could operate miles away from the patient through telerobotic surgery. As making fewer incisions, the patient would experience less pain and shorter hospital stays. These are extraordinary benefits, among others that will make this technology even better. However, there are problems that come with the increasing use of this technology. First of all, the systems are really expensive, and costs a lot of money for maintenance. It also reducesthe personnel needed in the room, most likely that would result on employees’ dismissal, causing a growth in unemployment. Because every patient’s body is different, the surgeon has to program an individual schedule for each surgery. Another bad aspect of this is that there is no room for error: once a robot has made an error, it cannot go back and repair the damage. This is why telerobotic surgery could fail: the surgeon must be present to inspect the surgery and, in case something goes wrong, intervene and fix the problem. These problems could be fixed as the time goes on, but as we see them today, they could make a huge disadvantage of this technology. PURPOSEANDHYPOTHESIS Is robotic surgery’s development a benefit in all aspects? This is the question we look forward to answer during our research. We intend to mention the benefits and the disadvantages of the progressive development of Robotic Surgery technology. Da Vinci Surgical System MATERIALS AND METHODS • Materials: • Computer • Internet • Microsoft Word • Microsoft Power Point • Wikispaces: compsciresearch.wikispaces.com • Method: • Navigation through Internet CONCLUSION Robotic surgery is the evolution of medicine, the future of surgery, a new way. In a close future maybe it will be possible for a robot to do surgery without the need of a present surgeon. This academic investigation made us understand how technology is developing in the world. Robotic surgery has its pros and cons, it has its benefits. The same way it can help it can damage. This could affect the employment of some surgeons because some might not be needed anymore for a surgery which will eventually happen if the technology keeps developing like it is. But this system could never think or have the same judgment as a surgeon. However the system is beneficial as it can help the patient by minimizing incisions and the patient will heal faster. Robotic surgery, technology that is still in studyandin development. We acomplished our purpose and in conclusion, we agree that robotic surgery is not beneficial in all aspects. RESULTS Robotic surgery is available to patients in two ways: if you have direct access to the surgeon then he can do the surgery, it could be possible for the surgeon to make surgery while being miles away from the patient, it is still an idea and it’s called telerobotic surgery. Robotic surgery is taking place in many procedures, such as: brain surgery, chardiovascular surgery, thoracic surgery, as in gynecology, urology and other general surgery procedures. The use of robotic surgery would cause less pain, trauma and bleeding because the robot would minimize the incisions made in the body. It would make smaller incisions instead of making a long one down the chest. Fewer incisions mean shorter time of recovery, and also shorter hospital stays. The robotic surgery system would also reduce the fatigue that surgeons suffer when they make surgeries that last hours. The steady robot surgical system eliminates the tired surgeons hand tremors, making it safer for the patient. The use of this equipment would reduce the need of many people in the room. Fewer surgeons and nurses would be needed. The cost of the robotic surgery system is approximately one million dollars and it takes approximately a hundred thousand dollars a year for maintenance. Robots cannot repair an error if something goes wrong in the surgery REFERENCES http://www.lifespan.org/tmh/services/oncology/davinci/benefits.htm http://www.howstuffworks.com/robotic-surgery1.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1681689/ http://science.howstuffworks.com/robot.htm http://biomed.brown.edu/Courses/BI108/BI108_2004_Groups/Group02/Group%2002%20Website/history_robotic.htm ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Professor Angel Caraballo Professor Evelyn Haddock Professor Irma Álvarez