Robotic Surgery Lowers Risk Of Complication Of Gastric Bypass
The efforts of the biomedical engineering community are paying off. Statistical data gathered at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston compared operative times, length of hospital stay, and complications in patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (normal procedure) and the same procedure done with the assistance of a robot. The statistics showed that when the surgery was done with the assistance of a specifically engineered robot, the time spent in the operating room was only a few minutes longer, hospital stay was the same, and the instance of complication was reduced significantly.
Standing tall amongst the reduced complications was the zero instances of gastrointestinal leaks. Gastrointestinal leaks can occur post-op in the area where the small intestine is reconnected to the small pouch created in the stomach. If this leak occurs, the patient can have chest and abdominal pains, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and even death. When performing this surgery, surgeons encounter challenging suture placement, awkward angles, and small spaces to work in. With robotic guidance, a 3-D view is presented via a monitor and the challenges mentioned above can be dealt with in confidence. The nonexistent gastrointestinal leakage is due entirely to the precision of the robotics.
The significant reduction of complications with biomedically engineered robotics has brought focus upon the bioengineering community. There is a calling for increased integration of robotics in surgeries like gastric bypass, which opens infinite possibilities for aspiring bioengineers. Literally giving a guiding hand to physicians across the discipline is the future of bioengineering. Having statistical data, such as that provided in Houston, shows that technological advancements created by bioengineers can be integrated into medicine effectively and proves that the presence of engineering in modern medicine is a must. The staggering demand for robotic assistance and other surgical aids brings promise to our career choice as biomedical engineers, as we in essence, will be building jobs for ourselves. Medicine is changing in a way that will require professionals of the future to have knowledge of the human machine and the machine working on the human. I think as the medical community sees more proof of the benefits of bioengineering, it will not be outlandish to consult your bioengineer before your enter the operating room.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080924151013.htm
Standing tall amongst the reduced complications was the zero instances of gastrointestinal leaks. Gastrointestinal leaks can occur post-op in the area where the small intestine is reconnected to the small pouch created in the stomach. If this leak occurs, the patient can have chest and abdominal pains, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and even death. When performing this surgery, surgeons encounter challenging suture placement, awkward angles, and small spaces to work in. With robotic guidance, a 3-D view is presented via a monitor and the challenges mentioned above can be dealt with in confidence. The nonexistent gastrointestinal leakage is due entirely to the precision of the robotics.
The significant reduction of complications with biomedically engineered robotics has brought focus upon the bioengineering community. There is a calling for increased integration of robotics in surgeries like gastric bypass, which opens infinite possibilities for aspiring bioengineers. Literally giving a guiding hand to physicians across the discipline is the future of bioengineering. Having statistical data, such as that provided in Houston, shows that technological advancements created by bioengineers can be integrated into medicine effectively and proves that the presence of engineering in modern medicine is a must. The staggering demand for robotic assistance and other surgical aids brings promise to our career choice as biomedical engineers, as we in essence, will be building jobs for ourselves. Medicine is changing in a way that will require professionals of the future to have knowledge of the human machine and the machine working on the human. I think as the medical community sees more proof of the benefits of bioengineering, it will not be outlandish to consult your bioengineer before your enter the operating room.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080924151013.htm
posted by Justin Barba at 10:23 AM
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