Robotic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery. “Minimally invasive” means that instead of operating on patients through large incisions, miniaturized surgical instruments are used that fit through a series of quarter-inch incisions.
Robotic surgery with the Da-Vinci Surgical System was approved by the FDA in 2000. The technique has been widely used in the United States and Europe in the surgical management of a numerous conditions.
The surgeon fully controls the arms and the instruments while seated at a computer console near the operating table. The console gives the surgeon a high-definition, magnified, 3-D view of the surgical site. The surgeon leads other team members who assist during the operation.
