For the very first time, a robot surgeon has managed to conduct a heart surgery without any human assistance. The 50-minute surgery was performed on a 34-years-old patient that was suffering from atrial fibrillation (heart flutters).
While the operation was done in Milan, Italy, the creator of the robot surgeon, Dr. Carlo Pappone, was monitoring the process from his computer in Boston, USA. Also watching this major medical event are dozens more heart specialists attending an international congress in America.
Prior to this first unassisted operation, the robot has already done at least 40 assisted operations, and has also gathered operation details from more than 10,000 past human operated surgeries.
“This operation has enabled us to cross a new frontier,” Pappone said. “The robot can now recognize the type of patient and the required method of operating,” he added.
For any doctors or doctors-to-be who are reading this, consider this a warning. Because this operation has been considered a major success and Pappone already has a plan to begin putting this prototype robot on sale this month.
Will this technology ever be widely accepted? Would you allow your loved ones to be operated by an unassisted robot?
May 20th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
I would always be somewhat worried being operated on by an unassissted robot, simply because there is so much that could go wrong in the operation which a robot coudn’t anticipate for but a human surgeon could.
May 20th, 2006 at 7:27 pm
I bet Doctors are worryied about this because robots are going to take over there jobs ……..
May 20th, 2006 at 10:34 pm
yeah, i would let a robot like that perform the operation.
this should bring the outfuckinrages surgery costs within a resonable range
May 21st, 2006 at 11:05 am
In every aspect a machine can do things correctly on a more normal basis without fault. Once the technology is in place I would RATHER have a machine do my surgery than a human. Humans make errors much more often.
May 22nd, 2006 at 12:25 am
i think every city in the world shld have 1 of this. but as matter of fact we can’t trust their stability. if its chip or power fails … puffff
May 23rd, 2006 at 1:02 am
Yes, it eliminates the human error factor but… how well it’s it program how is it taking desicions about the pacient condition or if any emergency happends there are two many “what if” for a machine…
May 23rd, 2006 at 8:35 am
This could also mean that human-performed surgery prices will go up even higher. Also, I’m sure a doctor will be monitoring the operation in most cases.
May 23rd, 2006 at 11:57 pm
outfukinrages? lol leik omfg leran tooo speel…. outrageous but i would trust this thing…. and for the record, for the time being this thing is not goinna come cheap, so there fore i doubt it will lower the cost of the operation, not that it matters to me, being canadian, but i bet it would lower the waiting time, these machine can operate 24 hours a day 7 days a week, dont need time off or rest time between operations.
May 24th, 2006 at 1:51 am
there is surgery of the future. In the future, there’s many surgery operated by robots. I would perfer robots than humans.
May 24th, 2006 at 4:11 am
I’m not sure I want a robot operating on me.
May 28th, 2006 at 10:57 am
can sum one tell me what it costs for Mitral valve repairs and if they do non invasive surgery in new zealand . im schedualed for the broken rib old technology and i lovemy bits im fit and dont want something i need blood thinners with for the rest of my life i have 4 weeks till im schedualed for major operation 49 male and pretty freaked out give me a robot ,videoscope
help…….help…..?????
August 22nd, 2006 at 3:11 am
I’d do it, Im sure a robot wouldnt leave the tools inside of you before it sews you back up.
July 3rd, 2007 at 11:41 pm
What!!!
I am a big fan of the advances in Medicine through robotics and truly and willingly push for it. However, let’s remember something… as much artificial intelligence you can install on a robot, it will never have the say so (or sense, if you want to call it that) to make last minute decisions.
Is paying less worth than saving your life?
What is the question that should be answered.
I wouldn’t let a robot operate on me.
August 30th, 2008 at 4:19 pm
Surgeons have nothing to worry about ! in the worse case they will switch from operating to developing robots to operate and selling them at golden prices ……….. an engineer will never replace a surgeon !