Robotic surgery for Hernia: All you need to know

A hernia usually occurs when there is a weakness in the muscle or the tissue and the inside organ pushes through it. A hernia can occur in various places in the body such as the abdomen, groin, diaphragm or the site of any previous incision due to surgery.
Over time, hernias tend to get bigger as the muscle wall of the area gets weaker and more tissue bulges through. It is important to understand when to seek surgical consult to rule out potentially serious complications that may arise if the hernia gets strangulated. If there is a visible or palpable bulge that gets more pronounced while coughing and there is pain or pressure at the site of the hernia which intensifies while doing strenuous activities, it is best to visit a surgeon for consult.
Hernia repair involves strengthening of the weakened tissue area. This is done through a surgery, closing the site of the hernia and in most cases securing the area with a surgical mesh. Earlier this procedure was done traditionally with an open surgery that involved large cuts and a very long recovery time, long hospitalization and high chances of infection. However, with laparoscopic surgery, the minimally invasive approach gave excellent patient outcomes. Now with the Next generation robotic system, Versius from CMR Surgical, Cambridge UK, even procedures like hernia can be done extending great advantages of robotics.
During robotic surgery with next generation robotic system, Versius- the surgeon operates from an open console near the operating table. The open console allows the surgeon to have complete visibility of the patient during the surgery and maintain verbal or non-verbal communication with the team which is very critical in the OT environment.
Compared to laparoscopic surgery where the surgeon gets a 2D view while operating, the biggest advantage of robotic surgery is the 3-dimensional High-definition view that empowers the surgeon with greater depth perception. This significantly improves the accuracy and safety of the procedure.
Three to four tiny incisions are made in the patient’s abdomen to perform minimally invasive cholecystectomy. The robotic system, Versius, translates the surgeon’s hand, wrist and finger movements into precise, real-time movements of surgical instruments inside the surgical area.
The hand controls are maneuvered by the surgeon that move the robotic arms with attached surgical instruments. The Verius system is a next generation robotic system that is designed for surgical excellence and has many in-built safety mechanisms.
The robotic system permits 360 degrees of wrist motion and enables very high manoeuvrability for precise and efficient alignment thus overcoming the limitations of a human wrist. With the advanced and robust technology of Versius, the surgeon skills are enhanced whilst surgical errors are negated The patients are up and about within a few hours after the surgery and can resume their daily activities mostly in a day’s time. There is minimal blood loss due to the tiny incisions and the patient gets excellent cosmetic results due to the tiny incisions. Due to minimal scarring, minimal pain, greater precision and safety, robotic surgery for hernia will soon be one of the most preferred surgical options.