Friday, July 22, 2016

Important Information On Robotic Surgery Houston Residents Should Understand

By Debra Butler


Robotic surgery is a form of minimally invasive surgical operation in which the surgeon is assisted by a small robot in their work. The robot has arms to which the necessary surgical instruments are attached. It is important to point out that it is not the robot that conducts the operation. Rather it is the surgeon but with a little help. There are a number of facts on robotic surgery Houston residents would find informative.

The preparation needed for one to undergo this type of operation is similar to what is required in other operations. For instance, their hemoglobin and platelet levels should be within the acceptable ranges. Drugs likely to increase the risk of bleeding should be stooped at least ten days before the procedure. Depending on the type of anesthesia that is to be used, patients may also be required to fast (for at least 8 hours) so as to reduce the risk of aspiration.

When you are taken to the operating room, you will receive some form of anesthesia (general or regional depending on the condition). The surgeon will then make some incisions in your abdominal wall to be used for the insertion of instruments. The robot is connected to an endoscope that helps to generate images from the site of operation. They will then sit comfortably in the computer station from where they will operate the robot.

The robotic equipment has been developed in a manner that facilitates the projection of 3-D images. This creates a scenario that is almost similar to what would be experienced if the surgeon was conducting an open surgical operation. If you are anesthetized only at the spinal level then you may witness the operation from a screen (you may need to put in a request for this). The robot transmits hand movements to the surgical instruments.

There are numerous indications for robot assisted surgeries. They include cardiovascular operations such as coronary artery bypass and mitral valve repair. Others include hernia repair, reduction of tumor masses, hysterectomy, tubal ligation and prostatectomy among others. It is important to note that the method is not effective in the management of very complex operations especially those in which manual manipulation may be needed.

A number of advantages are associated with this type of technique. The level of precision that can be achieved here is a lot more than what is seen with the open procedure as well as conventional laparoscopy. The great precision greatly reduces the risk of injury to internal organs. It also makes it possible to operate in very small spaces. The level of fatigue lower with the robotic option.

A few challenges may prevent optimal utilization of this option in handling routine surgical operations. Among them is the fact that accessibility is often a problem since most centers are yet to acquire the equipment. Related to the same, is the absence of adequately trained personnel to operate the equipment. Most experienced surgeons find it difficult to abandon the methods that they have used for many years.

There is a risk of complications but this is a lot lower than that associated with the other techniques. The possible complications that may ensue include reactions to the anesthetic medications, bleeding from the surgical site and infections. In some situations, the surgery may be challenging leading to the use of alternative methods. Adequate pre-operative preparation will help reduce the risk of these complications.




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