Robotic Surgery

Introduced in 1987, Robots were used in the first Laparoscopic surgery, a cholescystecotomy, to be exact. (Lee 45).Also known by names such as keyhole surgery, bandaid surgery, or minimally invasive surgery (MIS), Laparoscopic surgery is a surgical technique referring to operations within the abdomen or pelvic region. (Lee 45).More specifically speaking, it belongs to the field of endoscopy. (Lee 45).The first robots used in the surgery consisted of a Hopkins rod lens system, that was usually connected to a video camera (single chip or three chip), and a fiber optic cable system connected to a 'cold' light source (halogen or xenon) that was used to illuminate the area being operated on. (Vertut and Coiffet 97). Because incisions were made smaller, this robot-dependent surgery was known to be less invasive than preceding surgical methods. Because their was less intrusion in the body, the risk of infection was reduced, hospital stays were shorter, and recuperation time was reduced.(Vertut and Coiffet 97)Since this implementation of Robots as an assistant in delicate operations, numerous procedures have been performed laparascopically as both technology and skills of surgeons have advanced. Despite the advantages of using Robots in surgery, there were several disadvantages of using them. For example, the equipment used required a surgeon to move in the opposite direction of the target on the monitor in order to interact with the patient’s area of operation so that hand-eye coordination, force feedback, and dexterity were not compromised.(Hohman 2) Additionally, other disadvantages were restricted degrees of motion, increased sense of touch, and increased sensitivity to hand movement, all problems in which modern robotics would aim to correct.(Hohman 2)

As robots began to become more prevalent in the medical field, Researchers at the NASA(National Air and Space Administration) Ames Research Center began work on an concept known as telepresence surgery; commonly known as telesurgery. (Vertut and Coiffet 68)Combining virtual reality, robots, and medicine this type of robotic surgery would defy traditional surgeon-patient relations. By the early