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The Disadvantages of Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is a system where a surgeon performs a surgery remotely by operating robotic arms via a camera system. The benefits of these systems are reduction in pain, smaller incisions and a reduced patient recovery time, speeding up patient discharge time. During surgery, the use of cameras allows the system operator to magnify the available image of the surgery, giving the surgeon a more detailed view of the operation. Despite the listed benefits, there are a number of disadvantages of a robotic system, including the fact that the technology is still being developed, and the system has yet to be miniaturized for ease of use.

  1. Size

    • Robotic surgery was originally developed by the U.S. military to allow surgeons to operate on injured soldiers close to the battlefield remotely from a safe distance. Unfortunately, the size and weight of the robotic equipment made it impossible to easily transport the equipment, and the military gave up on the equipment for this use. The technology initially developed by the military is now in use in hospitals throughout America. However, one disadvantage is still the bulk of the equipment in the cramped confines of small operating rooms where surgeons and nurses must still be present. The robotic arms used in surgeries are large and awkward to maneuver, making the equipment difficult to use in existing hospital operating rooms. Brown University gives two options, which are both costly, for resolving this problem, either miniaturize the equipment or enlarge operating rooms to accommodate both equipment and staff.

    Cost

    • According to the National Cancer Institute, the most popular DaVinci robotic surgery equipment is extremely costly in both initial purchasing costs and maintenance. The purchase of the initial robotic equipment was in excess of $1 million in 2009, according to Brown University. As a relatively new technology, the system is also continually upgraded, adding costs, because the equipment quickly becomes outdated and in need of upgrades. Brown University also reports robotic heart surgeries take up to twice as long to complete than those completed by surgeons, adding costs in staffing procedures. The added time also adds costs to the patient, as the longer surgery time increases the time the patient spends under anesthesia. Reports from Brown University quote an average increased cost of heart surgery completed by robotic equipment as $2,000 higher than those competed manually by surgeons.

    Other Disadvantages

    • There are limitations in the technology and operating system of robotic surgery equipment. For example, there is no tactile feedback available for surgeons using the system. This lack of feeling requires extra vigilance on the part of the surgeon to protect organs from accidental damage. However, hospitals can program robotic systems to make smaller movements than the operator, which eliminates some movement problems. Also, the instruments used in robotic surgeries are manufactured by the makers of the robotic equipment, meaning that not all surgical equipment is currently available for robotic equipment. In cases where the equipment is not available, surgeons must complete portions of the surgery manually, adding extra time to the procedure.

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