Since 1985, the PUMA 560 became the first robot to perform a surgical intervention (a brain biopsy to be more precise). Since then we have come a long way, so much so that according to a report by Strategic Market Research, Every year, 1.4 million robotic interventions are performed in almost all areas: cardiac, renal, urinary, colorectal, gynecological interventions…
This technology consists of three main parts: some robotic arms that hold instruments, a high-definition camera that provides enhanced and enlarged 3D views of the area and a surgical console where the surgeon controls the instruments and each movement of the camera using controls similar to a joystick.
It is therefore not surprising that surgeons must complete additional specialized training to perform robotic-assisted procedures. Some surgeons seek formal training through minimally invasive and robotic surgery fellowships. Techniques used during robotic surgery They are similar to those used during traditional surgerythe main difference is the way the surgeon accesses the surgical area.
Instead of making one large incision, the robot makes several small incisions. To this we must add that not much space is needed for the instruments to do their work, both outside and inside the body: the need to push tissue, muscle and organs to one side is limited.
All this has many advantages. The pain is less, the recovery is faster, the risk of infection is reduced, there is less blood loss and the scars are smaller. Another important factor is that currently, Robot-assisted surgery has an overall success rate of 94%at a minimum, depending on the procedure, the person’s general health, and other factors.
But there are also some disadvantages. Robot-assisted surgery is only available in centers that have specially trained surgeons. In some cases, complications also arise that require the surgeon to intervene. There may be nerve damage and compression. And, in very few cases, robot malfunctions, which are extremely rare.
Given all this, each step taken is an enormous distance. And now a huge one has happened. A team from the Langone Health Center at New York University (NYU) has monitored the first double lung transplant performed entirely by a robot.
Responsible for the breakthrough was Dr. Stephanie H. Chang, team leader and surgical director of the NYU Lung Transplant Program. In this case, the Da Vinci Xi robotic system was used to transplant both lungs to a 57-year-old woman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Small incisions were made between the ribs and the robotic system was then used to remove the lung, prepare the surgical site for implantation, and implant the new lung. Both lungs were transplanted using these robotic techniques. The intervention took place on October 22, 2024just four days after patient Cheryl Mehrkar was added to the lung transplant list after several months of evaluation.
“I am very grateful to the donor and his family for giving me another chance at life,” Mehrkar explained. For a long time, I was told I wasn’t sick enough for a transplant. The NYU Langone Health Team focused my quality of life as a priority, and I am so grateful to the doctors and nurses here for giving me hope.”
Mehrkar, who inherited a genetic predisposition to lung disease, was diagnosed with COPD in 2010 at age 43. His condition worsened after a COVID-19 attack in 2022. This happened precisely a month after Chang performed the first fully robotic lung transplant in the United States.
“This latest advance in robotic surgery speaks to the culture of innovation we have created by bringing together the most talented people in their fields – confirms Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute -. Our Transplant Institute team advances the field to better serve our patients and provide them with the vital care they need with the best patient experience. This latest innovation is a defining moment in lung transplant surgery worldwide and just the beginning of a new era in patient care”.
To date, surgeons at this university have used robotic technology to treat a wide range of medical conditions and perform more than 2,000 robotic-assisted surgeries each year.
The university has a specific training center to show how to perform robotic-assisted cardiac, bariatric, thoracic, gynecological, colorectal, urological and gastrointestinal procedures. But This is just a first step, requiring human supervision.
Experts point out that, Like autonomous cars, in a few years, robotic interventions will not require the presence of those responsible for the surgery and may be carried out remotely. It will only be necessary to have a doctor who provides the human component, just as happens with smart cars.