Robotics in General Surgery

Abstract

In summary, robotics has made a significant contribution to General Surgery in the past 20 years. In its infancy, surgical robotics has seen a shift from early systems that assisted the surgeon to current teleoperator systems that can enhance surgical skills. Telepresence and augmented reality surgery are being realized, while research and development into miniaturization and automation is rapidly moving forward. The future of surgical robotics is bright. Researchers are working to address the electromechanical limitations of current robotic systems. Increasing utilization and competition in the marketplace should drive the cost of robotic systems down, improving their cost-effective proposition. By ultimately enabling increasingly complex interventions through minimally invasive approaches, robotics will have a significant role in the future of surgery.