According to a Health Research Funding report, the rate of robotic surgeries is increasing by 25 percent annually, showing that the procedure is continuing to make its mark in the medical industry and the number of new innovations is growing along with it. Most recently, a new type of flexible robot is bringing more precision and flexibility to surgical operations including head and neck surgeries. Other robotic devices are designed to operate on the abdomen, joints and chest, but they don’t work well with the head and neck operations due to the lack of flexible movements.
According to a recent CBS News article, the flexible robot could be “the next revolution in surgical advancements” by making certain types of operations less invasive, resulting in faster recovery times for patients. Surgeons at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center were the first to use the flexible robotic system.
Flexible Robotics at a Glance:
- Ideal for surgeries involving the tongue, tonsils and larynx
- Robot has been used in an actual surgery for a growth on back of tongue
- Additional flexible robots are in production for different types of surgeries
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Carnegie Mellon created the flexible robot in hopes to give surgeons the option to use a different robotic device. The flexible robot has already been approved in the United States and Europe. As robotic surgery grows in popularity, we will continue to see more technology innovations like this one in the medical industry. To see how the Florida Hospital Nicholson Center is contributing to innovations in robotic surgery, visit our research page, below.
Our Research
