Editor's Note Concepts from motor racing pit stops, including role definition, task allocation, task sequencing, and a visual cue for ease-of-use, created efficient and sustainable approaches for decreasing robotic OR turnover times in this study. Average turnover time was 99.2 minutes before introducing the pit stop model and 53.2 minutes…

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Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M), Ann Arbor, have invented a new surgical instrument with the goal of addressing a vast, unmet need in minimally invasive surgery. For less than a thousand dollars, this platform technology—currently being commercialized by the start-up FlexDex Surgical—offers capabilities similar to those of the…

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Editor's Note Robotic cholecystectomy was associated with greater operative times but with similar safety and outcomes as conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in this study. The analysis included 13 studies involving 1,589 cholecystectomy patients (921 laparoscopic, 668 robotic). Operative time for the robot-assisted procedure was 128.0 minutes vs 115.3 minutes for laparoscopic.…

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Editor's Note Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M), Ann Arbor, have invented a new $500 surgical instrument that is vying to replace the $2 million deVinci robot for minimally invasive surgery. FlexDex, a mechanical platform that mounts to the surgeon’s arm, enables the tip of an instrument to mimic…

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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…

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Editor's Note Patients treated at hospitals located in competitive regional markets were more likely to have robotic-assisted surgical procedures, this study finds. However, when the analysis was limited just to hospitals that performed robotic-assisted surgery, competition was no longer associated with the use of robotic technology. In addition, hospital financial status had…

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Editor's Note Women who had robotically assisted hysterectomies were 24% to 32% more likely to return to the hospital for follow-up care, including readmission, emergency department care, or an outpatient department procedure, finds this study. Common reasons for follow-up care included: surgical complications hospital-acquired infections postoperative pain pulmonary embolisms digestive…

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Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on January 4 released its annual Top 10 list of important technology related issues that hospital and health system leaders need to pay close attention to this year. The list includes: Medical device cybersecurity (eg, hacking into pacemakers) Miniature leadless pacemakers Changing landscape of robotic…

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Editor's Note ECRI Institute is offering a new robotic surgery planning service that gives hospitals an independent second opinion when starting or expanding a robotic surgery program.  The service focuses on:  Strategic planning  Quality and training  Financial assessment.   The high costs, risks, and questionable patient outcomes associated with robotic…

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Editor's Note Robotic-assisted cardiac surgery had significantly reduced length of stay, complications, and mortality compared with nonrobotic surgery in this study. Robotic-assisted had a higher median cost than nonrobotic surgery ($39,030 vs $36,340). The results show that robotic-assisted is as safe as nonrobotic cardiac surgery and offers surgeons an additional…

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