
Open Surgery Vs Robotic and Laparascopic surgery
Sooo I’m not a surgeon , but the medical degree I’m about to be awarded is for a bachelor’s degree in both medicine and surgery. So during my medical training, I’ve been in the OR(operating Room) more times than I can remember, and I’ve assisted on more operations than I can count.
And on some accounts, I’ve had the surgeon pass me a scalpel for a minor procedure, or the needle holder for me to do the closing when they’re done with the main steps of the procedure. These not so many moments have been blissful and I long for the time……which is soon, when I’ll be the one on the other side of the operating table. And I can’t imagine this chance, this blissful moment being taken away from me by a machine or having to sit back and control the computer and not have this close interface with my patient. Open surgery.
Robotic surgery refers to computer controlled systems where the surgeon uses a computer to control the robotic arms and their end effects (the surgery) . this can also be done remotely without the surgeon being present in the OR. While
Images showing how Robotic surgery is done.
Laparascopic surgery is where long fiber optic cable systems are used to view the affected area. Indications being both diagnostic and therapeutic. Small incisions of about 0.5-1.5cm are made on the body.
Image showing how Laparascopic surgery is done
Advantages of these advanced types of surgeries include minimal bleeding, they are minimally invasive, quick healing time, reduced operation time, and good scars. Also being very helpful for surgery in eloquent areas like heart septal and valve defects, esophageal and pulmonary surgeries.
However, all this comes at a very expensive cost, and is associated with some unforeseen complications since incisions may be done blindly. Also, there have been times when an operation started as Robotic surgery, but ended up as Open surgery for various reasons. And I wonder what would happen if the surgeon had been controlling this procedure remotely.
In my opinion, by the time someone decided to be a surgeon, then they love to grab the scalpel, make incisions, take out the “unwanted” or do necessary repairs, and then close up with full content that this patient will recover perfectly well. On top of completing a master’s degree in Surgery, one has to further undergo training in Robotic surgery?
In my Opinion(on the surgeon’s view) Robotic and Laparascopic surgeries take away the purpose for why one became a surgeon.
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