Learn about the workings of surgical robots
Learn about surgical robots.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: Robots in the operating theatre - like magic, the instruments move with exacting precision. But the machine is still operated by a human. Surgical robots are a further development for keyhole surgery. For patients this means small incisions, reduced risk, lighter procedures and a faster recovery overall.
DR. JÖRN WITT: "Patients are generally back on their feet the same day. The next day they can take a shower, and on the following day - that's two days after the operation - many patients are already able to deal with most day-to-day matters on their own."
NARRATOR: The surgeon operates the robot with the aid of small joysticks. Two cameras record what is happening inside the body and provide an image with spatial depth perception. This gives the doctor a better view than in conventional operations. Each picture can also be enlarged, further increasing the level of precision. What looks so big on the screen is in fact miniscule.
DR. ANDREAS SCHÜTTE: "The unsteady, wiggling - movement similar to when one uses binoculars to look at the horizon - would also result here by moving too close to the operation area. Fortunately this is not the case, since the camera is also guided by the robotic arm which holds both itself and the picture extremely steady."
NARRATOR: In this cardiac catheterization, the surgeon controls the surgical robot from an adjacent room, sparing him the x-ray radiation generated during the examination. The machine operates with such precision that it even enables access and treatment to areas that are difficult to reach. But for all the technological advantages, the surgeon's steady hand is still vital.
WITT: "The individual experience of the surgeon remains a very important factor. The surgical robot is only a tool that helps us achieve good results. But the right experience is the fundamental requirement."
NARRATOR: A photo sensor recognizes if the surgeon moves three centimeters away from the robot's operating panel, in which case the machine shuts down automatically.
DR. JÖRN WITT: "Patients are generally back on their feet the same day. The next day they can take a shower, and on the following day - that's two days after the operation - many patients are already able to deal with most day-to-day matters on their own."
NARRATOR: The surgeon operates the robot with the aid of small joysticks. Two cameras record what is happening inside the body and provide an image with spatial depth perception. This gives the doctor a better view than in conventional operations. Each picture can also be enlarged, further increasing the level of precision. What looks so big on the screen is in fact miniscule.
DR. ANDREAS SCHÜTTE: "The unsteady, wiggling - movement similar to when one uses binoculars to look at the horizon - would also result here by moving too close to the operation area. Fortunately this is not the case, since the camera is also guided by the robotic arm which holds both itself and the picture extremely steady."
NARRATOR: In this cardiac catheterization, the surgeon controls the surgical robot from an adjacent room, sparing him the x-ray radiation generated during the examination. The machine operates with such precision that it even enables access and treatment to areas that are difficult to reach. But for all the technological advantages, the surgeon's steady hand is still vital.
WITT: "The individual experience of the surgeon remains a very important factor. The surgical robot is only a tool that helps us achieve good results. But the right experience is the fundamental requirement."
NARRATOR: A photo sensor recognizes if the surgeon moves three centimeters away from the robot's operating panel, in which case the machine shuts down automatically.
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