Telesurgery

1. Telesurgery

2. Definition Also known as remote surgery. The ability for a surgeon to perform surgery on a patient that is not physically in the same location. It combines elements of robotics and cutting edge communication technology.

3. Think of some possible uses for telesurgery. Then click to compare your answer. To perform surgery in remote locations. For example: - treating injured soldiers on or near the battlefield - collaborating and mentoring during surgery by surgeons around the globe To be utilized as a teaching tool in: - training new surgeons - assisting and training surgeons in developing countries Will be instrumental if astronauts are to travel to Mars or other planets. - performing surgical procedures in space

4. Operation Lindbergh On September 7, 2001, Operation Lindbergh was the first complete remote surgery on a human patient performed over a distance of 7000 km. The patient was located in an operating room in Strasbourg, France and the surgeon and remote console were situated in downtown New York, U.S.A.

5. Telesurgery in Canada On February 28, 2003, the first hospital-to-hospital telerobotic-assisted surgery took place. Surgeons in Hamilton, Ontario assisted surgeons in North Bay, Ontario in a surgical procedure over a distance of 400 km.

6. Developments At the Advanced Surgical Technology Centre at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Toronto, the surgical room responds to the surgeon’s voice commands to control a variety of equipment at the surgical site, including the lighting in the operating room, the position of the operating table and the surgical tools themselves.

7. Think of some possible problems or issues associated with Telesurgery, then click to compare your answer. Currently not widespread due to a lack of funding for the appropriate infrastructure and equipment. Compatibility of equipment between locations. Lack of training. Need for an anaesthesiologist and a backup surgeon still exists. Failure of communication lines (lag time).