15 years ago in the case of surgical intervention, a patient would be offered a traditional open surgery with all flaws of large incisions and scars, or, at best, laparoscopy. But any surgical intervention is a risk. That is why, for many years, the scientists-engineers tried to develop technologies that will help to minimize injuries and inaccuracies in the process of surgical intervention. The development of the da Vinci Surgical System has become a breakthrough in the field of medical technology: thanks to robotic technologies, surgeries have become the least traumatic, even in the most complicated cases.
A brilliant idea
The robot was designed for use in ... space! Scientists of NASA have thought about the possibility conducting operations on astronauts remotely by surgeons who are on Earth.
The first official permission to implement the Robot in medical practice was issued by The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the year 2000.
Technologies of a new generation make it possible to conduct operations, through small punctures, where four "hands" of the Robot are introduced. Each hand-manipulator is responsible for a separate instrument: 3D camera, scissors, clamp, needle holder. The operation is controlled by an experienced surgeon, who manages the Robot with the help of special joysticks. Thanks to 3D-cameras, the surgeon sees the most precise image of the progress of the operation. Da Vinci robot is a unique technology that combines the advantages of open surgery (accuracy and control), while it remains minimally invasive (for the procedure, 1-2 cm cuts are needed).
Why the "hands" of the Robot better?
The "hands" of the robot are somewhat reminiscent of the human wrist (they were created according to its model). However, their difference in the radius of motion: Da Vinci has seven degrees of freedom and can rotate the hands-instruments 90 degrees in different directions. The "hands" of the Robot do not tremble and can reach the places inaccessible to human hands.
Moreover, the "hands" work so accurately that it causes much less traumatization of tissues and vessels, and, accordingly, the time of hospitalization and rehabilitation of a patient is reduced.
What operations are carried out with the robot-surgeon?
With the help of the da Vinci Surgical System specialists can conducts operations in the field of gynecology, thoracic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, urology. Exceptionally efficient Robot is in removing cancerous tumors and metastases that directly affect large blood vessels. Also, the Da Vinci Robot is actively used in bariatric surgery to treat obesity.
There are more than 2,000 robotic surgeons in the US and more than 900 in Europe.
Today, the cost of surgery using Da Vinci Robot starts from $ 15,000. For example, in Turkey it will cost from $11,000, it would be cheaper in India, and more expensive in Germany and Israel. In the Czech Republic, an operation using the Da Vinci Robot will cost around €8,000, while the experience of specialists is impressive - over 10 years.