Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery is an extension of laparoscopic surgery. The robot is a machine that the operating surgeon directly controls to perform surgery. The advantages of more flexibility, "endo-wrist" function allows for better deterity which allows suturing and dissection to be more easily performed. 3D optics allow steroescopic vision for better depth and spacial orientation and the small robotic intruments can be manoeuvred into smaller spaces that laparoscopic surgery techniques would be hard pressed to allow.

Colorectal operations that benefit from this approach are rectal cancer surgery, in particular, low anterior resection. Robotics allow the entire operation to be completed with minimal access even with the a tumour that is far down in the pelvic cavity and allows a better chance of anal sphincter presevation and hence function.

Robotics allow minimal access even with a tumour very low in the pelvic cavity and close to the anal sphincter muscle. This allows better preservation of anal function and smaller incisions for removal of the tumour.