Applications of Robotics in Gynecological Surgery

Abstract

Robotic-assisted surgery is a branch of engineering that develops robotic machines that allow the operator to perform surgery by maneuvering, from a distance, a robot that is not completely autonomous but capable of performing controlled maneuvers. It is a technique that has recently come into use, even in selected centers, and represents a further step in the field of minimally invasive surgery (MIS). It has basically the same indications, but, at the moment, it is reserved for selected patients. Compared to traditional video-assisted surgery, it has some important differences. The surgeon is physically distant from the operating field and sits at a console, equipped with a monitor, from which, through a complex system, he controls the movement of the robotic arms. To these are fixed the various surgical tools—forceps, scissors, dissectors—which a team present at the operating table introduces into the cavity where the surgery is performed.