Robotic Surgery, Surgery of the Future

Would you have thought a few years ago that surgery would no longer involve pain, haemorrhage, weeks of recovery, plus major risk of infection? . Incoming to Romania on a medical conference, Professor Konstantinos Konstantinidis, MD, PhD, FACS, scientific director and director of the General Medical, Bariatric, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery Clinic of Athens Medical gave me an interview about why robotics surgery . C. S. Q. D.

: What are the Most Important Benefits of Robotic Surgery? . Konstantinos Konstantinidis: First of all, the patient experiences extremely low pain and this only in the first 24 hours, he does not lose blood, he does not risk post-operative infections, he mobilizes very quickly, the recovery is very fast. These are the main advantages of robotic surgery plus the fact that this type of surgery is ideal for multiple medical problems - from cancer surgery to hernia or spleen. There are also many other benefits for doctors: a reduced amount of time helps me focus better, I do not stand much, the environment is safer for me and for the patient. C.

S. Q. D. : Certainly the advantage of not losing blood is useful in the operator process. prof.

K. K. : Yes, as the patient does not lose blood, it is much easier for me to operate and observe the nerves to avoid potential mistakes (damage to the body and medical errors are thus significantly lower than in an operation . I no longer have to move the organs to observe what I need and the surgery becomes much easier to do. Two weeks ago at a conference in Vienna we talked to the most prestigious surgeons about some of the worst robotic surgery, how easy and safe it is.

Another vital thing to know is that in cancer surgery, bleeding increases the risk of spreading the tumor, which is why robotic surgery is extremely useful as a result of the fact that it does not allow the blood to spill! . We can basically solve tumors given by metastasis, so. Initially we operated 90% normal and 10% paroscopic, but now things have become completely opposite, being much easier with robotic surgery and also safer (without incisions, no infection, no hernia etc. . ).

In robotic surgery, the evolution of technology went from multiple incisions to a single incision, simplifying the process. C. S. Q. D.

: Compared to a normal operation, how long does the robotic operation last? . K. K. : Initially, it takes more time than normal surgery, but with the passage of time and experience, time is considerably reduced. In the beginning and for me it took a lot to practice this type of surgery, but now everything goes much faster.

I see very well what I'm doing because of the fact that no blood is lost and everything goes without complications. Yesterday we operated a complicated hernia problem and ended in about 20-25 minutes. Normally the operation would take about 4 hours. Tomorrow, two days after surgery, the patient will be able to go home. C.

S. Q. D. : How many years does a surgeon have to have for such a surgery? . K.

K. : If you are a very good doctor, skilled in laparoscopic surgery, a simple training of about a week will be enough. After that it will take a lot of practice under supervision. Subsequently, the operations will be done on their own. C.

S. Q. D. : Robotic surgery is certainly the future - how long do you think this will be the only form of surgery? . K.

K: The problem is that only very few surgeons can do this now. Many of them do not have the time to train or just do not. If all surgeons were trained for this purpose, it would take about two years. C. S.

Q. D. : What are the costs of this operating system? . K. : About 1 million and a half for the robot.

The cost is really great, indeed. And analyzes, for example, are expensive in themselves, but they are done very quickly. For example, we do not use MRI for any person. If you have experience and know what you are doing, you will surely use robotic operations in most of the cases. C.

S. Q. D. : How much would a robotic operation cost as opposed to a normal one? . K.

K. : About 1000-2000 euros more than normal. However, it is important to understand that without further complications, they will save money on the recovery treatment they would normally have to pay. It is vital for the patient to be properly informed before surgery. Another advantage is that 97% of patients do not have a relapse risk compared to normal surgery.

We have done many types of operations and the results were extremely good. It is important for the doctor to be properly trained, have the experience and the patient to present all the details and options correctly. Athletes often have problems and once we do this type of surgery, they can get back to performance in about a month. Unlike normal stitch sewing operations, robotic operation allows faster recovery for people. In Romania, I noticed that although doctors know this type of surgery, they do not inform patients about it, which I consider to be essential.

It is important for the patient to know all the options before making a decision. .