Examiner.com posted “Robotic surgery with Dr. Ricardo Buitrago” by Kristin Eckland.
It’s like watching something out of a 1970’s low-budget science-fiction movie, along the lines of “Silent Running.” The machines take up much of the operating room and as the robot is brought into the position, the patient is almost lost amongst the equipment. The machines are clumsy and unwieldy like early computers but that doesn’t change the ‘awe’ factor. The technology may still be a work-in-progress but the results are very real.
First robotic thoracic surgery program in Colombia
For today’s case with Dr. Ricardo Buitrago, a thoracic surgeon in Bogota, Colombia, the DaVinci robot offers state-of-the-art treatment for a patient with a large mediastinal mass. While the robot looks like it belongs on an assembly-line in Detroit instead of an operating room at the upscale Clinica de Marly, the robot offers distinct advantages: no median sternotomy; meaning less pain, faster recovery and fewer days in the hospital.
After being proctored by Dr. Mark Dylewski, a pioneer in the field, at the South Miami Hospital Center for Robotic Surgery, Dr. Buitrago has completed a dozen surgeries here in Bogota.
Remote-controlled surgery
This technology was initially developed for military applications. The designers envisioned scenarios where wounded soldiers in field hospitals would be able to undergo surgery from surgeons operating remotely, from different parts of the world. While the technology has not yet evolved to the point where injured soldiers in Iraq can receive treatment from surgeons in Germany, it’s getting closer.
Expensive up-front but long-term savings
But it doesn’t come cheap. The DaVinci Robot, by Intuitive Surgical costs over two million dollars, which doesn’t include the specialized apparatus that has to be changed after every ten procedures. Technology has also outpaced insurance reimbursement, which means that even though the surgery offers a safer alternative to traditional surgery, and a faster recovery, patients often have difficulty getting insurance to pay for the procedure. This is despite the fact that a quicker recovery means less costs associated with hospitalizations and less complications.
But for the patient in the case above, the hassle was worth it. Less pain, less scarring, quicker mobility and home in just two days after major surgery.