What is the difference between robotic surgery and open and other close surgeries?
In surgical lung diseases and lung cancer, robotic surgery or robot-assisted surgery provides more accuracy, flexibility, control and safety for surgeons in complex procedures compared against conventional methods. As the lymph node removal in lung cancers is performed more successfully then video-assisted surgeries, robotic methods provide oncological advantages. Robotic surgery is a type of closed surgery called minimally invasive, which are performed through small incisions. In thoracic surgery, the superiority of video-assisted of thorascopic closed operations over open surgeries has been proved. After the da Vinci Robot was approved by FDA in the US back in 200, it rapidly became a common practice in American and European hospitals for the treatment of many diseases in various fields. Robotic surgery involves a camera arm, and mechanic arms where surgical tools attached. The surgeon sits at a computer console near the operating table and performs the operation by controlling these robotic arms. The console provides the surgeon with a high-resolution, magnified and 3D image of the surgical site. Surgeon directs the assisting operation crew from the console table.
What are the advantages?
In comparison to conventional methods, surgeons using the robotic system have higher accuracy, flexibility, control and better view of the surgical site during the operation. The tools used with the robotic system provides the flexibility of a wrist inside the thorax. With the robotic surgery systems, surgeons can perform sensitive and complex procedures that could be difficult or impossible otherwise.
Advantages of minimally invasive robotic surgery are: Less
Complications (e.g. Wound site infection), less pain, less blood loss, faster recovery, smaller and less noticeable incision scars.
Are there any risks?
In robotic surgery, similar complications in conventional methods are less prevalent. Robot equipment allows for minimal damage to the surrounding tissues within the thoracic cavity and reduces the complication rate.
Is every patient eligible?
Robotic surgery may not be an option for all patients. The surgeon explains the patient whether they are eligible for robotic surgery, the benefits and the risks by comparing it with other methods (open surgery and video-assisted surgery).
For which diseases it should be preferred?
Robotic surgery can be reliably and safely used for many diseases in thoracic surgery. These include early stage “lung cancers”, tumors and cysts in the area between two lungs within the thoracic cavity called “mediasten”, “diaphragm diseases”, “thymoma”, “Myastenia Gravis” (thymectomy). As the lymph node removal in lung cancers is performed more successfully then video-assisted surgeries, robotic methods provide oncological advantages.