Benefits and Limitations
"The advantages are greater surgical performance and precision, smaller incisions, enhanced safety, less trauma, decreased complications, and quicker recovery."
With a less blood loss and fast recovery, da Vinci is an option for a patient who is concern about his pain after the operation. In a traditional open surgery, the surgeon will make at least 10-12 inches incisions of the heart surgery in order to access to the heart by splitting the breast bone and spreading the rib cage. This approach is prone to infection and painful, as well as, takes prolonged time for recovery. After the robotic surgery, the patient recovery is faster and the hospital stay is shorter.
The robotic-assisted surgery enhances the surgeon’s view and control over the surgical instrument. Clinical studies suggest that the system may help surgeons provide better clinical outcomes.
It has proven benefits in reducing the risk and complications associated with open surgical procedures, thereby extending broader population of patients.
"Although the robotic surgery is considered safe and effective, it may not be appropriate for every individual."
The major risks of this advanced technology are not greater than the typically open surgery. In certain circumstances, the robotic-system procedures may be associated with a lower complication rate.
The robot is still high-level and sophisticated for the surgeon in the operative system. The major drawback of the computer-assisted system is the loss of tactile and force feedback. This can be surmounted by training and is partially compensated for by the 3-D visual feedback.
Unfortunately, it is the fact that not all hospitals can afford the high cost of the da Vinci surgical system. However, the cost is expected to decrease in time.