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Snake-Robots To Assist Surgeons in Tight Spots

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the helpful-for-gamers-too-eventually dept.

ferd_farkle writes "Science Daily has an article about engineering advances meant to help steady the hands of surgeons working in really cramped spaces like eyes and throats. From the article: 'The tools include a snakelike robot that could enable surgeons, operating in the narrow throat region, to make incisions and tie sutures with greater dexterity and precision. Another robot, the steady-hand, may curb a surgeon's natural tremor and allow the doctor to inject drugs into tiny blood vessels in the eye, dissolving clots that can damage vision."

6 of 35 comments (clear)

  1. Re:obligatory... by WilliamSChips · · Score: 4, Funny

    Personally, I wouldn't want a snake in my head...it could take over my body and start impersonating a god.

    --
    Please, for the good of Humanity, vote Obama.
  2. Robot-assisted surgery by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I underwent robot-assisted surgery in 2003. A thoracic surgeon used Intuitive Surgical's daVinci robot to remove my thymus. The surgery was very successful. It was a minimally invasive procedure and the recovery was easy (compared to traditional open surgery).

    http://www.intuitivesurgical.com/

    Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology
    http://cisstweb.cs.jhu.edu/

    Forbes article: Robo-docs
    http://www.forbes.com/free_forbes/2006/0904/100.ht ml

  3. Re:obligatory... by sokoban · · Score: 3, Funny

    That's it. I'm sick and tired of these motherfucking jokes about this motherfucking movie.

    --
    09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0 is the magic number.
  4. Hmm by Dirtside · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "Snake-Robots To Assist Surgeons in Tight Spots"

    Like, on a plane?

    --
    "Destroy science and religion. Science would re-emerge exactly the same; but not religion." - Penn Jillette, paraphrased
  5. Re:For centuries alcohol helped surgeons by elohim · · Score: 3, Interesting

    eye surgery is mentioned in the story, and i know a few ophthalmologists that take a drop of timolol (a beta blocker for treating high eye pressure) under their ongue before cataract surgery to suppress their tremor.

  6. Robots in the OR: Nothing new by scottv67 · · Score: 3, Informative

    We broadcast a robotic prostatectomy via the Internet a few months back from our hospital in Waukesha. I got to see the robot before the surgery. Pretty cool piece of hardware.

    http://www.prohealthcare.org/WhatsNew.asp?PageID=W TN000035

    Waukesha Memorial recently performed its 100th surgery with the Da Vinci robot.