May 12, 2016

Fully automated robot shows promise for surgery

By: Judy Mathias
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Editor's Note

Autonomous robotic surgery performed by the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR) may help healthcare providers improve outcomes and efficiency, while reducing errors, finds this study. STAR integrates a robotic arm, suturing device, and imaging capabilities.

Surgeons tested STAR against manual, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted surgery for porcine intestinal anastomoses and found the STAR anastomoses superior.

Unlike robotic systems used today that require surgeons to operate them manually, STAR works independently and uses a computer program informed by best surgical practices to determine where and how to place a suture.

 

The operating room may someday be run by robots, with surgeons overseeing their moves. Shademan et al. designed a "Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot," or STAR, which consists of tools for suturing as well as fluorescent and 3D imaging, force sensing, and submillimeter positioning.

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