Mayo Clinic has one of the largest and most experienced surgical practices in the world, with more than 300 surgeons and 139 operating rooms among its three locations in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota. Because doctors at Mayo Clinic see some of the rarest and most complex cases in the world, they frequently offer robot-assisted surgery.
Travis E. Grotz, M.D., a surgical oncologist at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, compares robotic surgery to a car’s lane assist system. With lane assist, the driver is still in control, but the feature ensures a smooth ride, making it easier to stay on course and avoid accidents. In a surgeon’s world, this “safer ride” equates to a successful surgery with the best possible patient outcomes.
“Laparoscopic surgery is considered the first generation of minimally invasive surgery. Robotics is the next generation,” says Dr. Grotz. Both laparoscopic and robotic surgery options give doctors more flexibility and control than they have during open surgery.
During laparoscopic surgery, a small camera attached to the tip of a laparoscope is placed inside a small incision. This camera provides a 2D view as the surgeon uses precise surgical tools to operate. In robotic surgery, a system that includes a camera arm and mechanical arms with surgical instruments attached to them is inserted through tiny incisions on the body. Depending on the type of surgery, these incisions range from 8 to 12 mm.
Benefits of robot-assisted surgery
Using robotic assistance, surgeons can perform delicate and complicated procedures that may be difficult or impossible with other methods. “Some patients say, ‘I want you to operate, not the robot.’ But I assure them that the robot isn’t taking the wheel. It’s assisting and helping me be a better surgeon,” says Dr. Grotz.
The doctor controls the arms from a console next to the operating table, while a magnified, high-definition 3D view of the surgical site offers a heightened depth perception. “I move my hands in the way I would in the operating room, and the robotic hands do that in smaller spaces in a more meticulous way,” explains Dr. Grotz. The robotic hands even have wrists that help surgeons work at different angles and get deeper into the body.
Personalized care, faster recovery
Through a multidisciplinary approach, thousands of patients receive individualized surgical care every year at Mayo Clinic. “The magic of Mayo Clinic is that what would typically take 2 to 3 months to get a diagnosis is done in a few days, giving patients a course of treatment in a shorter amount of time,” says Dr. Grotz.
If robot-assisted surgery is part of the plan, patients tend to have fewer complications because smaller incisions cause less stress on their bodies. This is measured by inflammation markers and a quicker recovery time.
“It’s not just about the robots — it’s about being able to use the technology to treat complicated cases. That’s something we do well at Mayo Clinic.”
— Travis E. Grotz, M.D.
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