Single-port robotic surgery: challenges and opportunities
Single-port robotic surgery is a modern and innovative, minimally invasive surgical technique that utilizes a single incision to perform complex surgical procedures. Compared to traditional laparoscopy and multi-port robotic surgery, single-port robotic surgery offers several key benefits for patients, from improved cosmetic outcomes to reduced risk of infection as a result of reduced tissue trauma. Due to these benefits, companies such as Intuitive Surgical have released their single-port robotic system, and companies such as Medtronic and Vicarious Surgical are investing heavily to develop their single-port robotic systems and get them to market. Despite all of this innovation, the technology is not without its challenges.
Having worked on the development of a multi-port robotic system myself, I’ve witnessed firsthand how these surgical robots can be applied to a variety of procedures. What is clear is that the adoption of disruptive technology in the surgical space is usually a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time for surgeons to adapt to new technologies, understand the limitations and develop new techniques. It is usually only when a clear clinical benefit can be seen that we reach the tipping point for adoption.
For single-port robotic surgery to gain more widespread adoption, a clear understanding of its challenges and opportunities for innovation is required.