Bring surgical robots into the operating theatre
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
Robots designed for surgery may be more accurate than their human counterparts, but safety is an important issue, say Drs RA Buckingham of Southmead Hospital, Bristol and RO Buckingham of the University of Bristol, UK. Surgical robots have operational advantages over humans, in spatial awareness, for example, as illustrated by passive neurosurgical wands, or motorised stereotactic frames. Robotic reliability and repeatability are illustrated by AESOP (automated endoscope system for optimal positioning), essentially an "extra pair of hands", which holds a laparoscope but still allows the surgeon to take manual control at any time, they say in the BMJ (December 2nd).