A Giant Leap with Next-Generation Robotic Surgery

Robot-assisted surgeries have been around for almost a decade but till now these robotic surgeries were being used mostly for complex surgeries for cancer. However, now with the next-generation robot, Versius from CMR Surgical, Cambridge UK, the benefits of robotic surgery is not limited to complex surgeries but for many common surgeries like gallbladder stone, hernia, obesity appendicitis, fundoplication & many other types of diseases.
In 1989, after a decade spent performing conventional open surgery, I came across a surgical demonstration that altered my path forever. At a conference of the American College of Surgeons in New Orleans, I witnessed four cases of endoscopic gall bladder surgeries that seemed nothing short of a miracle.

What astonished me the most was that the patients were comfortably walking within few hours. The recovery was very short and normalcy quickly returned. This was my dream come true ! Laparoscopy made its way to me, it was my calling, a rather perfect fit for my sensibilities and understanding as a surgeon. These small punctures could go a long way in making countless patients comfortable within few hours after surgery. Since then, I have worked with singular determination to propagate laparoscopic surgery for all.

Now, thirty years later, this is another giant leap with the next-generation robotic surgery for common surgical conditions. Versius is designed to deliver Surgical excellence. It provides all the advantages of laparoscopic surgery technique with added precision, accuracy & safety. Backed by Machine Learning & empowered by Artificial Intelligence, it enables a 3D view with a greater depth perception that empowers the surgeon to achieve greater precision with ease. Its robotic arms provide vast degrees of movement for precise & efficient alignment which is not possible with a human writs/arm.

Most robotic systems have a closed console which restricts the surgeon’s access to the patient with no direct vision of the patient during the surgery. One of the most important advantages of the Versius is that it has an open console and the surgeon can operate while sitting/standing according to convenience. This enables access to the patient at all times and a direct vision of the patient, easy communication with the surgical team and a holistic control with close monitoring of all parameters during surgery.

Versius is a mobile/portable robotic system that can be wheeled in and out of one OT to the other thus improving the efficiency of the surgical team. The patient is up and about in a couple of hours after the surgery, can be discharged on the same or next day and resume normal diet and activities from the next day onward. There is minimal or no blood loss and due to very small port sizes the patient gets excellent cosmetic results.