• DOI:10.1007/s00464-007-9727-5
• Corpus ID: 6880837

A consensus document on robotic surgery

@article{Herron2007ACD,
  title={A consensus document on robotic surgery},
  author={Daniel M. Herron and Michael R. Marohn and The SAGES-MIRA Robotic Surgery Consensus Group},
  journal={Surgical Endoscopy},
  year={2007},
  volume={22},
  pages={313-325}
}

• D. Herron, M. Marohn, The SAGES-MIRA Robotic Surgery Consensus Group
• Published 1 February 2008
• Medicine
• Surgical Endoscopy

“Robotic surgery” originated as an imprecise term, but it has been widely used by both the medical and lay press and is now generally accepted by the medical community. The term refers to surgical technology that places a computer-assisted electromechanical device in the path between the surgeon and the patient. A more scientifically accurate term for current devices would be “remote telepresence manipulators” because available technology does not generally function without the explicit and direct control of a human operator. For the purposes of the document, we define robotic surgery as a surgical procedure or technology that adds a computer technology–enhanced device to the interaction between a surgeon and a patient during a surgical operation and assumes some degree of control heretofore completely reserved for the surgeon. For example, in laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon directly controls and manipulates tissue, albeit at some distance from the patient and through a fulcrum point in the abdominal wall. This differs from the use of current robotic devices, whereby the surgeon sits at a console, typically in the operating room but outside the sterile field, directing and controlling the movements of one or more robotic arms. Although the surgeon still maintains control over the operation, the control is indirect and effected from an increased distance.

This definition of robotic surgery encompasses micromanipulators, remotely controlled endoscopes, and console-manipulator devices. The key elements are enhancements of the surgeon’s abilities—be they vision, tissue manipulation, or tissue sensing—and alteration of the traditional direct local contact between surgeon and patient.