Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
EmailIphone Application    Posted: 5th May 2016
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.
Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

Scientists use robot to conduct soft tissue surgery
Surgical equipment
Although robot-assisted surgery is becoming increasingly common, the execution of surgical tasks on soft tissue remains entirely manual.

Autonomous surgery may bring better efficacy and safety

Scientists in the United States have carried out robotic soft tissue surgery in a large animal for the first time.

A study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine describes how the scientists carried out supervised autonomous surgery in pigs.

Using a robot known as STAR (Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot), the scientists accessed the intestines of four pigs through a laparotomy and compared the procedure to a surgeon using standard surgical hand tools.

Researchers say that the results demonstrate that autonomous surgery can bring ‘better efficacy, safety, and access to the best surgical techniques regardless of human factors including surgeon experience’.

Although robot-assisted surgery is becoming increasingly common, the execution of surgical tasks on soft tissue remains entirely manual.

To see if the task could be performed by an autonomous machine, the scientists developed a soft tissue robot consisting of a lightweight robotic arm extended with a laparoscopic suturing tool.

Equipped with smart imaging technologies, the STAR robot then carried out various soft tissue surgical tasks and compared them to those of experienced surgeons. The robot is programmed by a computer that generates a plan to complete complex surgical tasks.

In the pig trials, the average STAR procedure took over 50 minutes, while the ‘open’ surgery took just eight. However, this is comparable to the average for clinical laparoscopic anastomoses that range from 30 to 50 minutes. No complications were observed in the seven days following surgery.

‘This task represents a proof of concept for all potential soft tissue surgical tasks requiring repetition precision, accuracy, and efficiency that can potentially benefit from autonomous or supervised autonomous functionality,’ the researchers conclude.

‘Further miniaturisation of tools and improved sensors will allow for wider use even at smaller scales.’

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.