Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS)

Overview

Robotic-assisted surgery

Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) devices enable surgeons to use computers and installed software to control and move surgical instruments through one or more tiny incisions in a patient’s body for a variety of surgical procedures. The technology massively reduces the invasive effects of surgery, resulting in reduced patient trauma, improved outcomes, and speedier recoveries.

Compared to traditional open procedures that require large incisions, Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci surgical system uses a few small incisions. The surgeon sits at a console next to the patient and operates through small incisions using tiny, wristed instruments. The da Vinci system translates every hand movement the surgeon makes in real-time to bend and rotate the instruments precisely. It also controls a camera for viewing the surgical area in magnified, high-definition 3D.

The current company was formed when Intuitive Surgical and Computer Motion (a previous Bob Duggan company) merged. Both had been developing this revolutionary technology along similar lines, and the merger allowed them to combine their knowledge and strengths. The technology includes operative surgical robotics, telesurgery, and operating room integration to serve hospitals, doctors, and patients better.

At the time of the merger, Bob Duggan said, “Surgical robotics has delivered on its promise of making surgery less invasive, shortening recovery times, and lessening the trauma for patients while providing economic value for our hospital customers. Separately, our companies wouldn’t be able to accomplish for patients and our shareholders what we will be able to accomplish together. By sharing our complementary technologies in networking, articulation, control, and visualization, we believe we will significantly strengthen the surgical capabilities of both the da Vinci and ZEUS product platforms.”