Should Robot-Assisted Surgery Tolerate or Even Accommodate Less Surgical Dexterity?

Journal: AMA journal of ethics
Published Date:

Abstract

Since their adoption during the 1990s, minimally invasive surgical techniques have demonstrated postoperative surgical recovery benefits for patients. As robotic surgery platforms continue to be developed and utilized in surgical specialty areas, dexterity and visual field limitations of laparoscopy are coming under close clinical and ethical scrutiny. This article compares robotic and laparoscopic modalities, with special attention to dexterity, surgeon performance, ergonomics, and patient outcomes. This article also examines robotic platforms' advantages for surgeons' technical capacity and career longevity.

Authors

  • Katherine Fay
    Minimally invasive surgery fellow at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
  • Ankit D Patel
    Associate professor and chief of surgery at Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.