The field of Science and Technology is commendably progressing. And with that, we are progressing, we have better ways to live and for our health.
The Versius Surgical Robotic System is a terrific progress of our technology.
Yes, it is true that robotic systems can now assist in surgeries.
No matter how precise the doctor may be, they cannot have a HD and a 3-D view of everything. Some surgeries need more precision. Laparoscopic surgery is hard to perform, but it has its benefits that come along. And this robotic surgical system is transforming surgeries for good. The procedure becomes easier and more precise with it. This assistance is the best thing for doctors, patients, and hospitals.
What is the Versius Robotic System?
The makers call Versius the next-generation robot. This robotic-assisted surgery aids doctors and gives better precision and control during operations. Initially, doctors could not use robotic surgeries, and they were not very popular because of their cost and structure. But the Versius robotic system is cheaper, easy to carry, and specifically designed for minimal access surgeries ( MAS Surgeries ).
MAS surgeries are tougher to perform than open surgeries. Therefore, doctors face a lot of challenges while performing those surgeries. Therefore, this robotic system aims to overcome most of these problems. With this, surgeons can deal with complex procedures with accurate precision and accessibility.
What functions does the Versius Surgical Robotic System have?
People believe that in robotic-assisted surgeries, a robot operates. Hence, they are scared to go for Versius-assisted robotic surgery. But it is a complete myth. It is the surgeon and his assistants who operate on the patient.
Let us see how it works!
The surgeon has access to the cart-mounted arms that the Versius system has. The doctor has a 3-D or HD view, whatever may suit the situation. A 3D screen in front of the surgeon shows the internal parts and what is happening in the patient’s body. The surgeon does not have to use the tools by hand itself, but they can control those robotic arms through a handset. Moreover, the doctor may stand or sit in whatever suits them. The console allows communication naturally between the surgeon and his surgical team. So the surgeon can give direction to the surgical team assisting him. This is beneficial for surgeons performing surgeries that take a lot of hours. It makes other things faster as well. For example, Suturing takes only thirty minutes with this system. People think that the Versius robotic system is difficult to use. But in reality, it is easy to handle. There is a team who teaches the surgeons first how to use the system. The doctors learn it well, practice and once they are confident to use it, perform surgeries.
Under which conditions can the doctors perform Versius robotic-assisted surgery?
The surgeons use the Versius robotic system to operate the following conditions –
● Heart surgery
● Head surgeries
● Neck surgery
● Thoracic surgery
● General surgery
● Urological surgery
● Gynecological surgery
● Colorectal surgery
Which surgeries can one perform using the Versius Robotic System?
Many surgeries can be performed using the Versius robotic assistant. Some of the surgeries are-
● Cystectomy– Cystectomy involves removing the bladder to treat bladder cancer. Depending on the situation, the surgeon may remove the entire bladder or a part of the bladder. While performing the surgery, the doctor will fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide to create a working space. Then they make very small incisions in the abdomen. The hands of the surgeon will not enter your body. But the doctor will control the robotic arms that are holding the instruments. If the surgeon performs the surgery manually, they make a long incision in the belly area to remove the bladder.
● Sural Nerve Graft- It is performed during prostatectomy, a procedure to remove the parts of the prostate gland. When parts of the prostate glands are removed, there are chances of erectile dysfunction. Robotic sural nerve graft is a procedure that helps restore erectile function. Some nerves are important for the erection of the penis. But the doctors may remove those nerves to remove cancer.
The doctors may create a neurovascular bundle using the robotic assistant by using some important nerves from your lower leg. It will help in regaining the penis’s erectile function. In addition, the procedure of a sural nerve graft becomes much faster and more precise using the robotic assistant.
● Hernia– Hernia is a condition in which a muscle of an organ pushes down through the wall containing it. The affected area becomes bulgy.
Robotic-assisted surgery can treat hernia and also rebuild the abdominal walls. There will be smaller incisions with the Versius robotic system than with the open surgery. It is also easier for the surgeon to sew the stitches and synthetic mesh inside the abdomen. And, of course, the patient feels less pain after the surgery than in open surgery. Laparoscopic surgery gives a 2-dimensional view, but the Versius robotic assistant provides a 3-dimensional view of the patient’s body.
● Hysterectomy– Hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus from the body. The doctors may suggest the removal of the uterus for various reasons like heavy vaginal bleeding, cancer or uterine fibroids, severe pelvic pain, endometriosis, or uterine prolapse. Robotic hysterectomy is a better technique to remove the uterus, especially in obese patients with pelvic adhesive disease or other such complexities. You will have less bleeding and less pain using the robotic system. In addition, the risk of infection is relatively low after robotic surgery.
Depending on the situation, it takes around two to four hours to complete the surgery. First, the doctors make small incisions, each around a centimeter long in your abdomen. Then they insert the surgical instruments through these cuts and perform the surgery with robotic hands.
● Mediastinal tumor– Mediastinal tumors form in the mediastinum area between the chest and the lungs. Though they are rare, they are serious due to their location. Your doctor may suggest robotic-assisted surgery depending on the case, the tumor’s location, and the tumor type.
If you have the Versius robotic surgery, the cuts will be smaller, the pain will be less, and you will recover faster. Since the cuts are small in robotic surgery, the recovery is faster. Otherwise, they may do a sternotomy, which removes the breast bone to remove the tumor. The patient also gets an earlier discharge from the hospital the robotic surgery.
Advantages of Versius Robotic System
The benefits of robotic-assisted surgery are-
● Less pain after the operation- The patient experiences less pain in robotic-assisted surgery than in open surgery. One of the main reasons for this is that the incisions or cuts are relatively small. As a result, the stitches will be fewer, and the patient will have less pain after the surgery.
● Lower risk of infection – There are a lot of chances of infection after open surgery. But the chances are relatively low in Versius robotic surgery.
● Shorter hospital stays- The patient recovers faster with robotic-assisted surgery than in open surgery. Their cuts heal faster. Therefore, the doctors send the patients home much earlier during these surgeries. It also helps save the hospital bill as the patient gets discharged sooner.
● Less blood loss and smaller scars – The patient loses more blood in manual operations. There are bigger cuts, so the bleeding is more. Patients may become weak after an open surgery due to blood loss. Sometimes the patients need donated blood to recover the blood loss. Big incisions on the body leave bigger scars that might never fade away.
● More precision- No matter how skilled the doctor is, humans have restricted abilities. We can not have a three-dimensional view with the naked eye. Our hands can not get into compact spaces. But with Versius robotic surgery system, the doctors can use mechanical hands and control them precisely. They can see the patient’s body in detail with a three-dimensional view. They also get a clearer image with a high-definition camera. In addition, the robotic hands can reach places where a human hand cannot.
● The doctors can be calm- The doctor can have a better and more detailed view seeing on the screen. They do not have to stand on top of the patient’s body. The doctors can even sit and function and communicate better with their team. All this makes the surgeon calmer, and he performs the surgery with more control.
● There are certain surgeries that surgeons cannot perform through traditional methods. But they are possible with robotic assistants.
What to expect after robotic surgery?
Most patients are sent home the same day after the surgery. If needed, the doctors keep the patients under observation for 24 hours. People may have bloating or gastric issues due to the dose of anesthesia. But the doctors prescribe them medicines for that. Doctors insist that patients walk a bit after the surgery and eat a healthy diet. They can go to work after two surgeries if they do not have to lift heavy things.
The pain, bloating and nausea reduces day by day. However, the surgeons advise that people with surgeries like Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), should not have sex for at least six weeks after the surgery. This is because your vagina needs time to heal completely.
What are the disadvantages of Versius robotic surgery?
With so many advantages, robotic-assisted surgery also has some disadvantages-
● The patient has bloating or gastric problems after the surgery due to the reaction of anesthesia. But this problem arises in traditional surgery as well.
● Not every surgeon can perform robotic surgery. All surgeons do not know how to perform surgeries with robotic assistants. They do not know how the system works.
● Versius robotic surgery is not available everywhere. It is only available in some cities and hospitals with better technology.
● It is a bit costly. It is available in super specialty hospitals as not every hospital can manage the costs. And not every person can afford such a hospital and treatment.
● There is a risk of robotic malfunction. But robotic malfunction hardly happens.
● There can be a risk of nerve damage.
Can anyone have robotic surgery?
Robotic surgery is not for everyone. If you have some medical problem, it does not mean you can undergo robotic surgery. Your doctor might recommend surgery, but it may only sometimes be robotic-assisted surgery. There are specific cases in which robotic-assisted surgery is allowed. If there are some complications, your doctor may treat you with the traditional open surgery method. For example, if you have lung disease, operating on you with a robotic assistant may not be possible. Consult two to three healthcare professionals and then decide to go for it. Moreover, robotic surgery is only available in some places. If your case is severe and requires immediate surgery, you should save time finding a center for robotic surgery.
The Versius Robotic System is surely benefiting the medical field and the patients.
Asian Hospital Faridabad has the facility of a Versius robotic system. The doctors are well-trained in how to use the system. So, if your or your loved ones have a medical condition in which you require surgery, you can book an appointment with our doctors. They will guide you and operate if you need robotic surgery or not. We provide robotic-assisted surgery at our hospital for gynecology, urology, and general cases, amongst others. The robotic surgery at our hospital is not very expensive.
You can book an appointment and consult our doctors.