The Future of Hospitals: Robot Surgeons?
Futuristic movies have shown us the endless possibilities of robots. Robotic surgery has topped that list, with numerous new robots able to perform complex surgeries at a much faster and accurate rate.
The medical field is evolving with the times, and many treatments —from artificial organs to precision medicine— are not the same as they used to be. Additionally, robots are now able to do procedures that were traditionally done manually. This method is known as Robotic surgery, sometimes referred to as computer-assisted surgery. Approximately 644,000 robotic surgeries were performed in the U.S. in 2017, and the rate of robotic surgeries has increased dramatically from 1.8% in 2012 to 15.1% in 2018.
How does robotic surgery work?
Robotic surgery is often used for minimally invasive surgery, a procedure in which the surgery is performed through tiny incisions. The smaller incisions in minimally-invasive surgery lead to fewer complications, less blood loss, less recovery times, and most importantly, less pain.
However, there are some downfalls to robotic surgery. In a 2015 study of US robotic surgeries during a 14 year period, 144 deaths, 1,391 patient injuries, and 8,061 device malfunctions were reported. Most of these deaths and injuries have occurred due to burns and singeing in the internal organs. Medical researchers and engineers are taking great steps to ensure that these problems are solved.
As of now, robotic surgery certainly will be a great part of our medical future, and once all issues are solved, it will prove to be a great advancement in technology.
Sources:
“Robotic Surgery.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 26 Mar. 2021, https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/robotic-surgery/about/pac-20394974?scrlybrkr =643f94ea 
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“About Robotic Surgery at UCLA.” UCLA Robotic Surgery, https://www.uclahealth.org/robotic-surgery/what-is-robotic-surgery
Scientific Peer Review by Alysia Mandato
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