They say they can do it faster and with less hassle setting up the equip-
ment, and still achieve the same outcomes. That's true in a lot of cases,
but as noted, for the many who haven't been exposed to, or mastered,
the laparoscopic approach, the robot provides an opportunity for sig-
nificantly better outcomes.
And incidentally, if you have a dedicated team that does only robots
and if you stack your cases back to back and do them in one day, you
can get to the point where you're just as efficient, maybe even more
efficient, with the robot as without it.
Meanwhile, the robots are getting better and better. They're more
precise than they used to be, they're more user friendly, they're easier
to dock, they have lighter cameras and they have better visualization.
What they're not getting, unfortunately, is less expensive, at least so
far. But indications are that the current go-to robot may soon have
some competition in the U.S. If so, it will be interesting to see what
sort of effect that will have.
Not Star Wars
I've never had a patient ask to have surgery done by the robot. When I
offer them robotic surgery, they're more likely to say, But I want you
to do it, picturing, I assume, R2D2 or C3PO hovering over the operat-
ing table, scalpel in mechanical claw. But they're OK with it when I
explain that I'll be the one controlling the robot. And they're thrilled
when the robot lets me minimize their pain and scarring and more
quickly get them back to their everyday lives.
OSM
A U G U S T 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 9 1
Dr. Towfigh (drtowfigh@beverlyhillshernia-center.com) is a hernia and
laparoscopic surgery specialist at the Beverly Hills (Calif.) Hernia Center.