Robotic-Assisted Surgery Giving doctors new savvy

Robotic-assisted surgery has the potential to advance health outcomes for patients worldwide. But getting the technology into the hands of surgeons has been a journey. The paper, based on research and interviews undertaken in May and June 2020, explores the history and path forward to realize the benefits of this groundbreaking technology.

What Will Bring Wider Adoption of RAS?

RAS is far from new — the first procedure was in 1985. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared an RAS system for use in 2000, and although the United States has a higher adoption rate than elsewhere, RAS only accounted for 10% of all surgeries in 2018.¹ Learn about the barriers to adoption and what technologies and teaching methodologies are helping to overcome these barriers.

What are the Advantages of RAS?

Some of the most important forces driving adoption are the proven benefits of RAS techniques. Find out how patients and surgeons can benefit in both spine and soft tissue surgeries. Further, RAS is a treasure trove of data. While the 3D cameras and their captured video exist to guide the surgeon, the data inherent in the images represent an important and powerful byproduct.

What is the future of RAS?

Surgeons around the world have come to realize that RAS offers many healthcare advantages for the future. Looking ahead, remote RAS — with a surgeon operating on a patient potentially thousands of miles away — could lead to wider access to high-quality surgery around the globe. Learn about advances in remote surgery as well as speculation on the feasibility of autonomous robotic surgery for future generations.