Technological Description and Explanation of the Associated Science - Essay Example

Technological and Explanation of the Associated Science ified as computer assisted surgery, Robotic Surgery has come to help surgeons with minimally invasive surgery over the decades. Robotic surgery has resulted in smaller incisions being performed during the surgery. These incisions are thus smaller and lessen the risk of hospital infection, which in turn translates into a shorter hospital stay for the patients. Currently, there are three types of robotic surgeries being performed. These are the Supervisory Controlled Systems, Telesurgical Systems, and Share-Control systems. Each system is involved in surgical procedures in such a way that the surgeon is given the opportunity to perform a much more precise and complete operation with the assistance of the robot. Although not widely used in operating rooms yet, it has slowly come to replace most traditional surgery procedures in the field of urology and gynecology. Currently, the most notable surgical robot in use is the Telesurgical model Da Vinci Si. The surgeon pictured on the left is working on a surgery using the Da Vinci Si model by directing the motion of the robot. This particular robotic surgeon model comes with three separate arms that allow for instrument mounting. The robots ability to use various instruments allows the surgeon to have a greater range of motion and precision while performing the surgery. The Da Vinci Si also comes with an optional fourth arm that has a pre-mounted high - definition 3-D camera that was designed to help guide surgeons during the performance of more complicated and intricate procedures (Bonsor, 2013). The Da Vinci Si is an amazing piece of robotic genius that uses advanced technology to help surgeons gain a view of the surgical site far beyond the capabilities of the human eye. Thus the surgeon gains a better understanding of the surgical site and can make the necessary adjustments to the procedure as necessary. This would not have been an available option to the surgeons had robotic surgery not been invented. To be clear, the surgeon still needs to be in the operating room when the procedure is done. However, he no longer has to touch manual equipment such as scalpels and the like because now, he uses precision instruments to perform the procedures. All he has to do is simply place his fingers on the master controls and allow the robot to mimic his movements. The surgeon also gets a birds eye view of his actions via the stereoscopic high-definition monitor whose camera has been inserted into the body of the patient. Using this procedure the surgeons are given unprecedented control to perform minimally invasive surgeries in a highly safe environment (What is Robotic Surgery, 2013). While the idea of having a surgical robot might invite images of surgeon free operating rooms, the reality of the technology is that it still requires a human being to make the robots work. A supervisory - controlled robot for instance, is a highly automated piece of equipment, yet it cannot perform surgery sans a human surgeon. The supervisory - controlled robot is an intensive prep work type of system that requires specific guidelines to be followed during the surgery. A surgeon must input data into a robot in order to initiate a sequence of controlled motion that will result in a completed surgery. There is a risk involved in this type of automated surgery though. the robot can only perform the surgery based upon pre-existing commands. The robot is not capable of analyzing a surgical site and making adjustments should a complication emerge during the procedure. Therefore, the surgeon is required to monitor the robots movements closely in the event that he will need to intervene and manually continue the procedure (Bonsor, 2013).. Shared - Control surgery, in comparison to the supervisory robot surgery requires the surgeon to still perform the surgery. In this instance, the surgical instruments are still manually manipulated. However, the robot system monitors the surgery and provides stability and support via active constraint whenever necessary (Bonsor, 2013). Active constraint means that the surgical area of defined on the body of the patient. These four regions are listed as Safe, Close, Boundary / Forbidden. Through this system, the surgeon manages to find the safest region on the body of the patient to focus on, usually nowhere near the soft tissue. Such a robotic procedure is dangerous to use because the robotic system does not automatically know how to classify these regions. Therefore, the areas need to be manually recorded into its memory via the surgeon. Only then will the robot be able to properly assist the doctor (Bonsor, 2013). Aside from the Da Vinci Si machine, there are other surgical robots in use across the world. Artemis is a master-slave computer manipulator system that was developed by Eberhrd Karls University. It is a system that was developed based upon the results of extensive research on minimally invasive surgery. Artemis is a system that uses 2 robotic arms that the surgeon is able to manipulate using specific control consoles. Robodoc is another FDA approved system that surgeons use along with another robotic arm known as Zeus, which was cleared for use by the FDA in 2001. Zeus has 3 robotic arms mounted to an operating table. Of the three arms, the most important or special arm is the Automated Endoscopic System for Optimal Positioning (AESOP) system. AESOP is a voice activated arm that performs endoscopies. Approved for use by the FDA in 1994, the voice activation was only a recent upgrade to the system. Zeus, unlike Da Vinci, responds to voice commands and is being prepared for future use in space. That is why the system is being tested in remote, wireless surgery set ups in an underwater experiment meant to simulate the conditions existing in a space station. Zeus is scheduled for testing at the underwater Aquarius lab in Key Largo, Florida in a gall bladder surgery procedure on a dummy. A precursor to the space testing of the robotic arm (Zeus Robotic Surgical System, 2013). Surgeons have admitted that using robotic systems during surgeries grants them tremendous advantages when it comes to the treatment of the patient. Offering the surgeon enhanced dexterity, the robot arm is more precise than the human hand when it comes to performing incisions and the like. Where the surgeon would once be prevented from movement by bulky instruments, he can now perform intricate procedures with a great deal of precision, and without having to worry about shaking hands. The robotic arms are designed to replace the unsteady hand of the surgeon through the use of appropriate hardware and software filters which can help scale the movements of the arms so that the large movements can be controlled through grips. Thus creating micro motions inside the patient (Lanfranco, 2004). These technological advancements in the area of robotic surgery has been touted as an excellent addition to any operating room. But due to the prohibitive cost of purchasing these machines, not all hospitals are capable of upgrading their surgery room equipment with these robotic arms. In fact, there are some cost studies that seem to indicate that the cost of the robotic machines will go up instead of down over time. This is due to the advancements being made in the technological field of robotic surgery by using increased processor speeds and software. Then the cost of constantly upgrading the software becomes an issue as constant upgrades to the system might be required in order to have the robot arm perform at its most effective each time. The size of the equipment must also be considered as the operating room is crowded enough with the presence of the surgical team (Lanfranco, 2004). The science of robotic surgery became a reality thanks to the massive collaboration of NASA with the medical community. The first robotic arm, NeuroArm was a creation of MDA based upon the Canadarm which was specifically created for the space shuttle program. A family of space robots that were created in order to assist the astronauts when performing heavy tasks at the international space station. NeuroArm actually holds the title of being the worlds first robotic arm that was skilled at performing surgeries inside magnetic resonance machines (MRI). The idea behind the development of NeuroArm was to eliminate the surgical problem of difficult surgeries and being able to perform surgeries formerly deemed impossible to do. The science associated with the development of the technology was meant to help make surgery easier for doctors and recovery time made shorter for the patients. Robotic arms work in combination with advanced imaging capabilities that are usually attached to an MRI system. Historically, the early robotic arm surgeries were performed on patients who were housed inside an MRI machine which posed a problem for the surgeons. At this point, the arm had to be made entirely from non magnetic materials because the robotic arm was going to be used inside an MRI machine as it would compromise the existing magnetic field of the MRI. The first person to have experienced a robotic arm surgery was Paige Nickason who needed to have an egg-shaped tumor removed. The NeuroArm was used during her procedure with much success. Which led to the same robot being used to treat more patients. Due to the increase of the possible applications of the robot arm in space, space technology has continually been used in relation to the development of the hardware. the idea is to be able to use the technology to help heal life both in space and on earth. NeuroArm was considered a breakthrough in robotic arm technology and NASA began to aid in developing more advanced robotic arms for surgical purposes. Experiments commenced using the two armed version of NeuroArm in an effort to help surgeons see 3-D images of the brain (NeuroArm: Robotic Arms Lend a Healing Touch, 2013). The military has also used robotic surgery a number of times. By having a portable robotic surgeon, more soldiers are saved. Surgeries are now performed on the battlefield, a safe distance away from the front lines. There are no worries about sudden explosions forcing the hand of the surgeon to perform an unplanned move. That has been eliminated by the robotic arm which has also come to be used in civilian hospitals in war torn countries where the United States military has a presence. Allowing for the speedy surgery of the injured soldiers who no longer have to be flown to the nearest hospital from the combat zone to receive medical and surgical treatment. These portable robots have two arms that are designed to operate on the patient from either side of his body. For this development of this particular robot, the experiment was done with the surgeon operating the robot from Seattle. The robot arm was in a California dessert. When considering the future of robotic surgery, the final frontier for this amazing piece of life saving equipment has to be outer space -- zero gravity. NASA plans to experiment with the arm aboard a C-9 aircraft flying approximately 34,000 feet above ground. Known as the “Weightless Wonder”, the C-9 aircraft will simulate micro gravity in space and variable gravity of military care air transports by performing 40 parabolas per flight timed at 18-25 seconds long. (Rutherford, 2007). Seeing that there is already a small faction of our society that has managed to afford space tourism in its infancy, these types of robots may someday soon be required in order to save a tourists life in outer space. When there is no available doctor in the space station, there will always be one on earth who can tend to the injured in outer space. These types of procedures will be made possible by the SRI developed software which was designed to help robots compensate for any errors that might result the change in environment (from earth to space) or location (civilian hospital to war zone (Rutherford, 2007). Environmental Implications: As a society of caring individuals, we only want the best for our families. To take care of our families in the best way possible and help others whenever we can as well. This is a consideration that is most evident when it comes to the medical care of our family members. In the event that one of our family members requires surgery, we will insist upon having the best possible surgeon on the job, even if it means recalling the head of the surgery department from the golf course. Luckily, the emergence of the robotic arm means that the best surgeon available for the job is always on call. While the technology of robotic surgery has been evolving over the past decade or so, the technology still requires the presence of an able surgeon to supervise the surgical procedure. Therefore, all that is required for successful surgeries these days are competent surgeons who understand the technology of robotic arm in relation to surgery. Technology has truly become entangled with surgery these days and will only continue to gain more prominence in the field over the next decade. Operating rooms around the world are fast becoming familiar with robotic surgery and it is fast becoming the norm for many surgeries across the world. Telepresence surgeries are also being adopted by surgical hospitals that have partner hospitals overseas. These days, it is not uncommon for have one doctor on site and another at a remote site, consulting and assisting on the same surgery. This type of scenario was originally meant to only have military purposes but it turned into an opportunity for the developer of the technology, Intuitive Surgical, Inc., to redefine the way surgery is performed worldwide. Telesurgery has actually been well accepted on a worldwide basis. Environmentally, the emergence of this technology has now allowed issues pertaining to doctor training and surgical procedures to be conducted on a more competent basis. Patients can now rest easy and be less apprehensive about their procedures as the human factor of error in surgery is close to being totally eliminated by the presence of robotic surgery. Surgical costs may also go down in the future as the robotic arm will remove the need for extra assistants and specialists to be present in the surgery room during procedures. The robot will take care of the more intricate parts of the surgery and render the need for specialists obsolete. Training doctors will also be more humane as there will no longer be a need for the future surgeons to practice on cadavers. Rather, they will become better trained in the use of the robotic surgery which will further enhance their practical abilities. Hospitals will also be able to lessen their exposure to malpractice suits with the expanded use of the Da Vinci Si units in their surgical procedures. There will no longer be any finger pointing when it comes to patient care in the surgery room because the robot will be in charge, and assumed to know the proper procedure to enact, based upon the information preset by the surgeon. Thus making the guilt and sense of responsibility clear in any litigation proceedings. Patients will now be better informed because the doctors will have to disclose that a robot shall be enacting the surgical procedure. This will require a greater explanation from the doctor and understanding on the patients part as the patient might have some apprehensions at having their surgery done by a robot instead of a human being. It is important to note however that even with the emergence of the robotic surgery procedures, human surgeons are not free of any guilt once the robotic surgery ends up a botched job. That is because the human surgeon was still in charge of the machine. The tendency to perform errors is merely lessened, not totally eliminated by the surgical robot. Therefore, the human eye is still very much an important part of a robotic surgical procedure. Due to the newness of the concept of robotic surgery, the United States Department of Health does not have any prescribed guidelines or governing rules and regulations set in place for robotic procedures yet. These safeguards for the benefit of the patient must be enacted at the soonest possible time as the robotic arm is fast becoming a fixture in every surgery and operating room across the country. I am concerned about how the emergence of this technology might actually result in some negative surgical experiences due to the tendency of the human being to become reliant on technology. A surgeon may be prone to entering the wrong information into the robot that will result in a surgical mistake on the part of the machine. In such instances, the human operator should be held liable by the patient. Remember, the technology exists to help make our lives easier. However, a mistake in use on our part will result in more problems than one for the person concerned. Just like all things technological, even robotic surgeries come with a great deal of risk. Therefore, it is up to us to set the safety switch on such a life altering piece of intricate machinery. It is the duty of the government and all concerned agencies and parties to make sure that robotic surgery will become one of the safest medical procedures to take place in any setting. Be it a war zone or a civilian hospital, the results of the surgery should be the same, safe and perfect. Technology will continue to evolve with surgery. Telepresence innovations will be increasing its presence in the operating room and around the world where procedures happen. Telepresence is one of the most promising aspects of robotic surgery and shows promise as a method of lowering the cost of surgeries so that those people who really need the surgery might finally be able to afford to procedure. Surgeons familiar with Telepresence will be able to perform remote surgeries that will allow them to lower their professional fees because they no longer have to go out to other hospitals or go across the country to perform intricate surgical procedures. Such an ability to perform remote surgeries will surely result in savings for the patient. The medical industry will also be in for a shocking revolution as medical insurance companies will slowly have to accept the charges for surgical robot procedures from their insured clients. While the insurance companies may try to fight the system at the start and insist upon human surgeons, the continued take over of technology from the human surgeons will eventually force the insurance companies to come up to the new medical standards for patient surgeries. Artificial intelligence, from which the robotic surgery hardware is descendant, has indeed come a long way from when it was merely a dream for most people. These days, artificial intelligence will allow the robotic arms to perform more and more intricate surgical tasks without the aid of human intervention. Eventually, the time may come when robots will become the norm for surgeries and doctors will merely act as consultants or only perform surgeries remotely during extreme instances. Whatever the future holds for robotic surgery, it will only be bigger, better, and brighter because it will be done in the service of mankind. Sources Huse, Brian (December 13, 2001). How robots will affect future generations. 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