Surgical robots require space and positioning that impair both necessary operating room staff and the patient themselves. Shanthi Pathirana and Pca Kam’s article, “Anaesthetic Issues in Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery,” included an image of what an operating room looks like for a robot-operated prostatectomy (Pathirana & Kam, 2018, p. 27). This is a clear picture of the obstacles that robotic surgery require to be effective. There is distance between the surgeon and the patient and obstructions between the surgical assistants and the patient- obstacles that nurses and surgical assistants must maneuver around to check on the patient. Pathirana and Kam also address the impairments that robots place on the anesthesiologist’s ability to treat the patient while they are being operated on. They explained …show more content…
This is exacerbated by the rotation of the table with the patient’s head away from the anaesthetic machine. The endotracheal tube must be well secured in a position that facilitates surgical access. There is the potential for damage to the head and neck from the robotic arms. The eyes must be protected. A mouth guard, used to provide surgical access, also protects the teeth. (Pathirana & Kam, 2018, p.30)
Their description details the problematic impairments from only one type of operation. Additionally, the anesthesiologists must be able to see the patients’ head while the operation is occurring to confirm that the patient is still unconscious. Although robotic surgery sounds appealing, it is not worthwhile because it impairs the operating room and impedes the