The Challenge of Robotic Microsurgery

Abstract

　The assistive surgical robot da Vinci (Intuitive Surgical, Inc.) is a device that enables delicate manipulation through stabilization and motion scaling in a three-dimensional magnified field of view. These features are expected to have many advantages for applications in microsurgery. Herein, we report our current investigations on robotic microsurgery as a new technology for microsurgery. Using da Vinci, we investigated anastomosis in pseudo-vascular models and porcine vessels.　
　We were able to perform stable anastomosis in the pseudo-vascular model; therefore, we performed anastomosis in porcine vessels with diameters of 2 and 3 mm. We were able to anastomose the femoral artery and deep iliac artery and vein.　
　Microsurgery and robotic microsurgery have many similarities. Therefore, it was thought that microsurgeons could adapt to robotic surgery more easily than to surgeons in other fields. In addition, the features of the surgical assist robots reduce the stress on the surgeon and enable a smooth operation. In the future, if the performance of the camera is improved and special devices are developed, anastomosis of vessels with a diameter of 1 mm or less will become easier, and robotic microsurgery will become even more useful.