Articles

The Future of Surgery: How AI-powered Robots Are Making It Safer

background image

The Future of Surgery: How AI-powered Robots Are Making It Safer

September 15, 2021

Robot aligned with entry trajectory on phantom head. [Image from ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern]

The application of robots in surgery is about 35 years old, experiencing significant growth in the last two decades thanks to the rapid progress of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Despite its history being relatively recent, the benefits of applying robotics in surgery procedures are already evident, while its practical applications are surprising the public and innovating surgery and healthcare.

Less blood loss during the procedure, a shorter hospital stay, more precise surgery, significantly less pain after the procedure, less risk of infection and blood loss, in many cases better clinical outcomes: these are just few of the many benefits robotic surgery has to offer to the patients and doctors both. The application of AI technologies in surgery allows, in fact, minimally invasive procedures to be performed, where the surgeon administers the instruments by using a tele manipulator or through computer control. 

 

However, AI in surgery is not limited to robotic surgery, and by leveraging the potentials of Deep Learning (DP), Computer Vision (CV), Machine Learning (ML), and Natural Language Processing (NLP), important results in doctor-patient relationship, diagnostics, pre-operative planning, practice and learning,  can be achieved.  

 Here follow three examples of how AI has already brought notable benefits in detection and diagnostics, intraoperative guidance and surgery. 

AI and Robotic Surgery 

Robotic surgery is based on machine learning data collected from surgeries performances. Thanks to this big data and complex algorithms, AI can identify procedure, movements and best practices to be applied during the surgical procedure, improving accuracy, precision and saving a lot of time. 

Another promising application of AI in healthcare is using machine vision to analyse scans and detect cancerous cases.  These AI systems are based on a principle called deep learning. They have, in fact, access to immense amounts of data, people scan, some with cancer and some without. By acquiring this information, the deep-learning systems can identify for themselves which are the features that the cancer possesses and detect the disease early.  The need to detect the cancer at its first stage is essential to boosting the survival chances of thousands of people.

“AI can learn from hundreds or thousands of surgical procedures simultaneously, but a surgeon learns from one surgery at a time” – Daniel Hashimoto, surgical artificial intelligence and innovation fellow 

Another example of how AI is improving the surgery procedures’ efficiency is the DASH Analytics High-Definition Care Platform which predicts risk of surgical site infections (SSIs) and suggests ways to reduce them in real time. The platform reduced SSIs by 74% in 3 years at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. 

Robots in surgery: a promising start

In 1985, a robot assisted for the first time in a surgical procedure. That year, a computed tomography was used to guide a robotic arm, the PUMA 560, in inserting a needle into the brain to perform a biopsy. The neurosurgical procedure, considered very delicate as it is subjected to many errors such as hand tremors, was successful, marking the beginning of the robotic surgery’s history. 

Since then, the field of robotic surgery has grown to become a successful option in neurological, urological cardiothoracic, gynaecological and many general surgical procedures. 

The reason is simple: robotic surgery is at the cutting edge of precision and miniaturization in the realm of surgery.  The surgeons can count on years of practice and knowledge, but skills and expertise could be hindered by a loss of motor skills and fatigue, especially in long-lasting surgery. 

An example where the microscopic accuracy of the robot is very beneficial is the eye surgery. In 2016 Robert MacLaren, Professor of Ophthalmology assisted by Dr Thomas Edwards, Nuffield Medical Fellow, performed the world’s first eye operation using a robot. They used the remotely controlled robot to operate inside the eye through a single hole smaller than 1 mm in diameters. The main difficulty was to stay still, as the operation consists in going in and out the eye several times, without piercing it again but using the same hole. 

Besides, robotic surgery has proved to be an important assistant to reduce collateral damage which could arise after the surgery.  For instance, there are many procedures in the field of cardiothoracic surgery that can now be done with robotics and that reduce the collateral damages while decreasing the recovery time. 

Another example is the cochlear implant. To implant a cochlear implant, surgeons usually have to create an access point behind the ear through the skull. Then an electrode is manually put into the cochlea through this access point. Working on this microscopic scale, the slightest imprecise movement can cause irreparable damage. As a result, about 30 to 35% of patients who received this treatment suffer loss of residual hearing. However, the use of surgical planning software and a robotic drill allow a minimally invasive procedure to be performed, reducing drastically the possibility of incurring in collateral damages. 

Surgical robots represent an important help as they are able to highly control the trajectory, speed, and depth of their movements, being extraordinarily useful in the long surgical procedures. Robots can, in fact, remain completely still for the whole duration of the surgery, significantly reducing the workload for the doctor as well as the risk of infections and after-surgery complications for the patients.

An ongoing history 

Currently, the worldwide most diffused robot system used in surgery is Da Vinci by Intuitive Surgical, whose cost remains high (US$1–2.5 million per device). However, robotic surgery evolution is far from over and alternative models are already developing. In the future, a greater availability of robot systems alongside the technology advancements could bring more autonomous surgical devices in more hospitals and medical centers.   History has already proven that the combination of AI with surgical robotics has the potential to optimize outcomes, improve the patients’ lives and increase access to care, leaving space to innovation and future research. 


 

Related Posts

The Digital Transformation Impact
blog date img

December 2, 2021

blog background image
Unlocking the potential of digital transformation to empower marginali...
READ MORE

Subul

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Revolutionizing the Automotive Industry: Enhancing Safety and Efficiency
blog date img

September 8, 2021

blog background image
How to Make Traveling Safe with Artificial Intelligence...
READ MORE

Subul

 AI and IoT - What is it?
blog date img

September 8, 2021

blog background image
Explore AIoT's potential - merging AI and IoT for innovation. Discover...
READ MORE

Subul

 Hiring freelancers - How Subul is Making it Even Better
blog date img

September 8, 2021

blog background image
5 REASONS WHY COMPANIES SHOULD HIRE A FREELANCER...
READ MORE

Subul

Artificial Intelligence: The Pioneering Force Reshaping the Future of Digital Marketing
blog date img

October 7, 2021

blog background image
Discover how AI is reshaping marketing with predictive analysis, perso...
READ MORE

Subul

Ethical Issues with AI We Are About to Face in the Future
blog date img

October 10, 2021

blog background image
Can Artificial Intelligence Cause Ethical Issues in the Future?...
READ MORE

Subul

Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence - What are They?
blog date img

December 2, 2021

blog background image
Is AI a Future Threat to Humanity? Pros and Cons of Artificial Intell...
READ MORE

Subul

Impact Outsourcing
blog date img

January 2, 2023

blog background image
Impact Outsourcing: Your Quick Definitive Guide ...
READ MORE

Subul

WordPress Development Agency - Why Should You Hire Us For Your  Business
blog date img

February 21, 2023

blog background image
Wordpress development agency will provide you with professional servic...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Annotation Services By Subul
blog date img

February 26, 2023

blog background image
Data Annotation Services by Subul - Choose the best data annotation ou...
READ MORE

Subul

Web Development Services By Subul - Get Your Brands to Life
blog date img

March 4, 2023

blog background image
Web development services are essential for your business. It enables y...
READ MORE

Subul

E-Commerce Website Development Services by Subul
blog date img

March 8, 2023

blog background image
Finding the best E-Commerce website development services? Subul is the...
READ MORE

Subul

 Benefits of Software Development - Top Seven Benefits
blog date img

March 10, 2023

blog background image
Get software development help from the best software development compa...
READ MORE

Subul

 Third-Party-Monitoring Services - What is it and How Does it Work?
blog date img

March 12, 2023

blog background image
Third-party monitoring services can mitigate the impact of vendor data...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Validation Services - Why is it Crucial For Long-Term Data Success?
blog date img

March 12, 2023

blog background image
Data validation services are designed to provide businesses with compl...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Labeling: What is it?
blog date img

March 16, 2023

blog background image
Data labeling is identifying raw data and adding informative and meani...
READ MORE

Subul

Image Annotation Services - What Are Some Benefits?
blog date img

March 17, 2023

blog background image
Image annotation is critical in machine learning and artificial intell...
READ MORE

Subul

Text Annotation - What is it and Why is it Important?
blog date img

March 19, 2023

blog background image
Text annotation aims to create one-of-a-kind, project-driven datasets ...
READ MORE

Subul

Audio Annotation - What is it and Why is It Important?
blog date img

March 22, 2023

blog background image
Audio annotation can organize audio files, improve searchability, and ...
READ MORE

Subul

Impact Outsourcing - Everything You Need to Know
blog date img

March 24, 2023

blog background image
Impact Outsourcing entails hiring high-potential but underserved indiv...
READ MORE

Subul

Dataset Labeling Tool - Everything You Need to Know
blog date img

April 10, 2023

blog background image
Dataset labeling tool is software applications that allow users to ann...
READ MORE

Subul

Introduction to Data Validation Services by Subul
blog date img

April 17, 2023

blog background image
Data Validation Services by Subul are designed to help businesses ensu...
READ MORE

Subul

Artificial Intelligence for Healthcare - Know More
blog date img

April 17, 2023

blog background image
Artificial intelligence for healthcare is defined by its ability to pr...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Annotation Specialist - How to Choose for AI Projects?
blog date img

April 24, 2023

blog background image
Choosing the right data annotation specialist can be a real challenge....
READ MORE

Subul

Data Annotation Outsourcing for Impactful AI Projects
blog date img

May 7, 2023

blog background image
Are you looking for efficient data annotation outsourcing? Trust Subul...
READ MORE

Subul

Benefits of IT Outsourcing for Your Business
blog date img

May 8, 2023

blog background image
Discover the benefits of IT Impact outsourcing with Subul - reduce cos...
READ MORE

Subul

Image Annotation Outsourcing: A Step-by-Step Guide
blog date img

May 14, 2023

blog background image
Quality image annotation is crucial to performant machine learning mod...
READ MORE

Subul

Automated Data Labeling vs. Manual: What’s the Difference?
blog date img

May 18, 2023

blog background image
Having trouble managing and extracting business value from massive amo...
READ MORE

Subul

Impact Hiring: Empowering Businesses, Employees, and Society
blog date img

June 6, 2023

blog background image
Discover the power of impact hiring in fostering diversity, breaking s...
READ MORE

Subul

 Impact Recruitment
blog date img

June 11, 2023

blog background image
Discover the power of impact recruitment in driving social responsibil...
READ MORE

Subul

How Outsourcing is Done in Subul: Empowering Communities and Businesses
blog date img

June 21, 2023

blog background image
Discover how Subul Impact revolutionizes outsourcing by empowering com...
READ MORE

Subul

From War-Torn Childhood to a Promising Future
blog date img

June 22, 2023

blog background image
Follow the remarkable story of Khaled,from a war child to a resilient ...
READ MORE

Subul

Subul's Data Annotation Service: Empowering Businesses Through Impact Outsourcing
blog date img

June 25, 2023

blog background image
Experience high-accuracy, personalized, and diverse data annotation se...
READ MORE

Subul

What Is Text Annotation: Enhancing Machine Learning with Subul's Services
blog date img

July 11, 2023

blog background image
Discover 'what is text annotation' and how Subul's expert solutions ar...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Annotation for Machine Learning: Empowering AI Insights with Subul's Expert Solutions
blog date img

July 15, 2023

blog background image
Explore Subul's top-tier data annotation solutions for machine learnin...
READ MORE

Subul

Text Annotation Services for NLP in Machine Learning: Enabling Language Understanding with Subul's Expert Solutions
blog date img

July 18, 2023

blog background image
Empower your NLP and ML models with Subul's professional text annotati...
READ MORE

Subul

Boost Your Online Presence with a Leading WordPress Development Agency
blog date img

July 20, 2023

blog background image
Subul, a leading WordPress development agency, creates impactful websi...
READ MORE

Subul

Audio Annotation Services: Enhancing NLP Technology with Subul's Expert Solutions
blog date img

July 25, 2023

blog background image
Unlock the potential of NLP technology with expert audio annotation se...
READ MORE

Subul

Text Annotation Services: Empowering Machine Learning Models with Subul's Expert Solutions
blog date img

July 30, 2023

blog background image
Experience Subul's top-notch text annotation services. Harness the pow...
READ MORE

Subul

Data Annotation Specialist: Unleashing the Power of Accurate Machine Learning Models
blog date img

August 9, 2023

blog background image
Unleash the power of your AI with Subul Impact Outsourcing's data anno...
READ MORE

Subul