Not that long ago, the idea of a robot performing surgery on a human was something out of science fiction. Today, it’s routine. Robotic surgery increased from 1.8 percent to 15 percent of all surgeries from 2012 to 2018, according to the American College of Surgeons.
Today, it’s used for around 22 percent of surgeries, according to several estimates. And no wonder the method is catching on. Robotic surgery (more accurately described as robotic-assisted surgery) offers less bleeding, less time in the hospital, and faster recovery time with less pain.
The “robot” in robotic surgery is actually a very sophisticated machine operated by a highly trained and experienced surgeon. Typically, the surgeon sits at a console and remotely operates robotic arms that hold tiny surgical instruments (yes, the console does look something like a video game controller).
One of the arms holds a camera that gives the surgeon a high-definition, ...
