Da Vinci’s 5 million surgeries

Wasn’t Leonardo an artist?

Yes. But I’m talking about the da Vinci, a ‘robot surgeon’ named after the master artist and inventor who dreamt of a world of robotics even in that remote era.

A robot surgeon?

You can say so. The da Vinci Robotic Assisted Surgical Systems developed by California-based firm Intuitive has so far performed over five million surgeries, according to MIT’s Technology Review. To be fair, da Vinci is not a fully automated surgeon; it is more meant for helping in complex surgeries as it uses minimally invasive methods. And there are more than 4,500 of them operating in hospitals across the globe.

But humans can control the system, right?

Yes, and these are used primarily in the so-called keyhole surgeries, where there is no need for larger cuts and stitches. But the da Vinci system is huge and expensive. It costs more than $1.5 million per unit. At the same time, Versius, a robotic surgical system developed by UK’s CMR Surgical, is closer to your robot doc; it is said to be more versatile and can perform laproscopic surgeries and is smaller and more price efficient.

Interesting developments. But is this a very new idea?

Not exactly. If you may spare science fiction, automated surgeries or robot-assisted procedures have always attracted the imagination of investors, innovators and medical companies. The da Vinci Surgical System was approved by US regulator FDA in 2000. Much before that, in 1994, the US FDA cleared for use an automated surgery system called AESOP, developed by robotics company Computer Motion. AESOP’s successor, the ZEUS Robotic Surgical System (ZRSS), which is a medical robot that assists in surgery, is more popular now.

So these robots are only used in minimally invasive surgeries?

Yes, most are limited to such procedures, but the experiments going on in the field and their results are emboldening doctors, companies and policymakers so much so that such devices and systems are entering more elaborate spaces and are gaining public trust. In the UK, for instance, over 70 medical institutions under the government’s National Health Service are using the da Vinci system. Reports suggest CMR Surgical’s Versius is also entering hospitals soon. Currently, robotics is used in surgeries for the spine, for certain tumours, gallbladder removals, for lung cancer procedures, on prostate, ENT and even for hair-loss treatment.

But, frankly, are these foolproof?

To be sure, artificial intelligence has its own share of risks. But the experience of da Vinci indicates such systems are safe and successful. Global medical robotics market is booming and is expected to cross $20 billion by 2020. Da Vinci-owner Intuitive reportedly rakes in $3.3 billion in annual sales. Robotic assistance is used widely in several other areas of healthcare already. And considering the precision, carefulness and chances of elimination of errors that robotics can bring in to the surgical table, their acceptance is a given, first as assistance and, may be, later as full-fledged surgeons.

Wow!

And, considering the way automation, artificial intelligence and data analytics-powered robotic systems can help save time, energy and costs while improving efficiency, it is a matter of time they went mainstream. Globally, big companies such as Google parent Alphabet, Johnson & Johnson and Ireland’s Medtronic are investing big money into robotic surgery devices.

Are these coming to India any time soon?

Well, there are some meaningful, but small, attempts here as well. Bengaluru-based Vattikuti Technologies is promoting da Vinci in India, where medical robotics market is expected to be worth more than $140 million by 2020. Recently, a few medical services providers and doctors in India were said to be creating a curriculum to train doctors in robot-assisted surgeries.

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