Robotic surgery involves using robots for surgery. These robots do not always operate independently though some robots can perform surgical tasks autonomously; however, they do enable surgeons to conduct operations at a smaller scale as compared to conventional surgery and also get closer to the surgical site overcoming the limitations imposed by human vision. Surgical robots also afford greater precision compared to the human hand that is susceptible to muscle fatigue. The limitations of surgical robots include a high cost of equipment to purchase and maintain. Medical staff requires special training which is an added cost as well. Robots have been used for cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, gastrointestinal surgery, gynecology, etc. The da Vinci surgical system and the ZEUS Robotic Surgical System are two systems that were used clinically in the US. The merger of Intuitive Surgical and Computer Motion resulted in the da Vinci becoming the more popular system.

Thymectomy

Robotic Removal of the Thymus Gland (Thymectomy)

When considering the removal of the thymus gland it’s notable that the ancient Greeks knew of its existence but could only guess at its purpose. Possibly because of its central location in the upper chest between the lungs and next to the heart, they thought it might be the seat of the soul or the emotions.

Nerve Grafting

Robotic Assisted Nerve Grafting to Relieve Compensatory Sweating

In the polite form we say that people perspire. In a little less polite form but well understood – people sweat. As is usually the case in medicine there is a precise term, hidrosis. Excessive sweating is hyperhidrosis. At one time or another everybody sweats too much.

Lobectomy

The use of surgical procedures to treat lung cancer depends a great deal on the type of cancer, its stage (progression of the disease), location of the tumor(s) and the general health of the person.There are two common types of lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Small cell lung cancer is notorious for spreading early in the disease, which usually indicates that radiation or chemotherapy treatment is the most effective approach. With non-small cell lung cancer the spread of tumors is generally slower and more localized, which makes this type of cancer a candidate for surgery. Since non-small cell lung cancer accounts for more than 80% of all lung cancer cases, surgery is the most common treatment.

Brachytherapy

Not all patients with NSCLC are physically capable of safely undergoing the procedure. For example, patients who are suffering from various types of heart disease or whose breathing is already compromised by a lung problem such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may not be able to tolerate a full lobectomy.One of the solutions for such patients is to combine limited lung surgery, where small portions of lung tissue are removed, plus radiation therapy of a type that is applied during the same surgical operation. In long-form medical terminology this is called sublobar resection and brachytherapy.

Achalasia

Achalasia means “failure to relax” and refers to a disorder of the muscle at the end of esophagus that doesn’t open normally during swallowing. It is also known as also known as esophageal achalasia, achalasia cardiae, cardiospasm, and esophageal aperistalsis. During achalasia, the smooth muscle that is responsible for swallowing looses its normal muscle tone and the lower esophageal sphincter does not relax correctly. Achalasia is a relatively rare condition with a prevalence estimated at less than 0.001%. A Laparoscopic or Robotic modified Heller myotomy is considered the standard of care for palliation of this incurable but benign disease.

Robotics

The wonders of technology can be truly impressive and sometimes daunting. The idea of a robot operating on a human being (for example, on you) could certainly be considered intimidating. So when doctors say they would recommend a procedure using the da Vinci Surgery robotic system, does that sound like a robot is going to perform the operation? Actually the da Vinci system is an ‘Intuitive Surgical Endoscopic Instrument Control System.’ That means the da Vinci system is a combination of computers, electronics and machinery that provides a surgeon with an intuitive tool for seeing and controlling surgical instruments during an operation.

Team and Collaboration

The Robotics program started at St. Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital Center approximately 10 years ago. Surgeons at St. Luke’s – Roosevelt performed the first thymectomy for Myasthenia Gravis in the United States, the first robotic bi-ventricular lead placement for heart pacing in the world, and one of the first three-hole robotic esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in the United States.