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Surgical Robot Removes Calgary Woman's Brain Tumor

Posted by timothy on from the and-yes-it-had-permission-to-do-so dept.

Raver32 points out an article in the Victoria Times Colonist about an interesting advance in robotic surgery: "Calgary doctors have made surgical history, using a robot to remove a brain tumor from a 21-year-old woman. Doctors used remote controls and an imaging screen, similar to a video game, to guide the two-armed robot through Paige Nickason's brain during the nine-hour surgery Monday. Surgical instruments acting as the hands of the robot — called NeuroArm — provided surgeons with the tools needed to successfully remove the egg-shaped tumor."

27 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. This wasn't there first attempt... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Let's just say the zombie brain surgeon didn't work out as well.

    1. Re:This wasn't there first attempt... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      My RSS feed in Firefox only goes as far as 'Surgical Robot Removes Calgary Woman's Brain'. I thought the revolution had come.

  2. More Info. by Overkill+Nbuta · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can find some more info on this at.
    http://www.ucalgary.ca/news/may2008/neuroArm
    I think it will be interesting if a doctor can have less fatigue and sit in a chair and do operations more quickly and more precisely with this.

    I understand that there are some operations where you would want the doctor to be on site to help with complications. But some of them like removing a brain tumor where its a procedure that you just need to cut something out it might be able to help the limited supply of doctors in the world be better utilized.

    1. Re:More Info. by LordVader717 · · Score: 3, Informative

      They've got a website for the Neuroarm complete with video clip and pics.

    2. Re:More Info. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I can't believe someone referring to BRAIN SURGERY as "a procedure that you just need to cut something out." And also stating that there are "some operations where you would want the doctor to be one site to help with complications" but acting like that would NOT be the case with a brain surgery!!! I just had brain surgery in March. It was VERY complicated and could have been fatal. There is NO WAY I would have allowed a robot to perform it. If that was the only case, I would expect the SAME amount of physicians in the operating room to take over if there was a problem. Brain surgery is VERY difficult and VERY important. Are you forgetting that obviously we only have ONE brain and we can't live or THINK without it??? I've been trying to sign up, also. But after three different times, I will have to have my password mailed to me, so this is unfortunately being posted as "Anonymous Coward."

    3. Re:More Info. by August_zero · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I have done a surgical rotation at a facility that uses a DaVinci robot to conduct some of its gynecological/urological procedures. The surgeon still has to work at it, and for those not familiar with the system, the surgeries can take 3 times longer and are more arduous than doing it the old fashioned way. In the hands of a practiced surgeon though, it's really a sight to behold in action, almost like a giant metal spider clipping and cutting.

      --
      On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
    4. Re:More Info. by mikael · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Researchers did a study on primitive surgical techniques. They found out that the caves used for these operations were as far back as possible, meaning that the air was dry and had no dust. Also, whenever a flintstone was used as a cutting instrument, a brand new stone was split, so there was no bacteria on the surfaces of the stone.

      Ancient Brain Surgery

      I need trepanning like a hole in the head.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  3. Re:did they tell her? by peipas · · Score: 3, Funny

    I dig. If I accidentally bought a bottle of wine whose grapes were mechanically squeezed I'd still rather assume a half dozen feet did the job.

  4. Oblig. by esrobinson · · Score: 4, Funny

    I, for one, welcome our new brain surgeon robot overlords.

    1. Re:Oblig. by pcgabe · · Score: 4, Funny

      No! No! We must fight them! Brain surgeon robot overlords? Are you MAD? They could... they could re-program our VERY MINDS!

      This is TOO FAR! We =must= take a stand! This far, no further!

      In fact, I'm going to go give these overlords a piece of my mind in person! BRB

      --
      Don't put advice in your sig.
    2. Re:Oblig. by pcgabe · · Score: 4, Funny

      DISREGARD THAT, I SUCK COCKS.

      I, too, WELCOME our BRAIN-surgeon ROBOT overlords.

      All GLORY to THE brain-SURGEON robot OVERLORDS!

      --
      Don't put advice in your sig.
    3. Re:Oblig. by mikael · · Score: 2, Funny

      When my step-father was in hospital from a amoebic infection of the blood stream, he once called home, still a bit woozy and told us, "The doctors have removed my brain, they told me I don't need it any more". The doctor went on the line and explained he meant drain.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  5. It's Not a Robot by juancnuno · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is great and all, but I feel the term "robot" is overly misused. To me, robot implies a computerized autonomy. If the doctor controlled the thing, then to me that's no robot.

  6. Easy. Just cutting something out...of the brain. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    But some of them like removing a brain tumor where its a procedure that you just need to cut something out... Yeah, it's not brain surgery. I mean.. it's not rocket science.
  7. ... It's a Waldo by Fallen+Andy · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Annoys me as well, but many "industrial robots" are really remote manipulators. I always remember the first one I saw at Rolls Royce Aerospace (Bristol UK) (early 80's). So darn dangerous it had it's own room . Needed it too - they were cutting turbine blades. One oops, and it's hypersonic ninja dices and slices time... See here

    (I just noticed the Waldo story reference has something which prefigures Feynmann's "Plenty of Room at the Bottom" . Wonder if he got that idea from Heinlein?

    Andy

  8. Yeah, but wait until she gets the bill... by Jafafa+Hots · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...oh yeah, I forgot... it's Canada.

    Sure, she gets a free, first-ever, tumor removing robot surgery for free... but she probably had to wait for it, right Rush?

    --
    This space available.
  9. Im a doctor not a video gamer! by Aranykai · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And while on the subject, why do they insist on likening anything with a display and controls to playing a video game? Its not an Atari, its a complex medical machine.

    --
    If sharing a song makes you a pirate, what do I have to share to be a ninja?
  10. Re:Which has more advantages? by somersault · · Score: 2, Interesting

    More dexterity but probably less stability and more chance of being nervous, or getting pumped up on adrenaline and shaking? That kind of thing.

    --
    which is totally what she said
  11. More to the point... by jd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    ...there may be some categories of "inoperable" brain tumours that are inoperable because humans have too low a level of precision. Such tumours would be removable by such a method. There have been many advances in tele-surgery since early work in the early 1990s (Surgeons in Russia operated on patients in America, for example) but this is definitely a lot further forward than might have been expected from the pioneering efforts.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  12. Sick bunny by DarkWicked · · Score: 5, Funny

    provided surgeons with the tools needed to successfully remove the egg-shaped tumour.
    That's one SICK easter bunny they have over there.
  13. This is great by melted · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Just think how much of a boon this is for microsurgeons - folks who stitch together nerves, small blood vessels, etc. Hand tremor and even its inherent precision is no longer an issue. Plus, you can have more than two "hands". This will only get better, and eventually we'll probably see minor surgeries performed without any human intervention.

  14. See? by Godji · · Score: 3, Funny

    Doctors used remote controls and an imaging screen, similar to a video game, to guide the two-armed robot through Paige Nickason's brain See, Jack Thompson was right all along. COMPUTER GAMES CAN MESS WITH YOUR BRAIN!!!

    (The captcha for this post happens to be "lawful". COINCIDENCE?! I think not!)
  15. Re:did they tell her? by sodul · · Score: 5, Funny

    I remember a video on the french news (maybe 15 years ago) about wine making: there was a guy *totally* naked (it's french TV it was not censored) jumping into the grapes to squeeze them. I don't know if the idea was to not get his underwear stained or if the 'all natural' method.

    Needless to say I'm a beer drinker (belgian beers).

  16. Similar to a video game? by Extremus · · Score: 3, Funny

    "GAME OVER! You killed the patient! Press START to continue."

  17. Video games for Doctors by lewko · · Score: 2, Funny

    Doctors used remote controls and an imaging screen, similar to a video game

    Doctor: Dammnit nurse! Guide me over to the Health bonus

    Nurse: There's no time Doctor! We're losing the patient.

    Doctor: Okay. We have to cheat death. Press up-up-left-left-up-up-down-select.

    Nurse: It's working! The patient has full health!

    Doctor: Tumour P3wnd!

    --
    Do you or your partner snore? - Visit www.snoring.com.au
  18. Re:awesome by glueball · · Score: 2, Informative


    Soon we can be on a honda assembly line


    The Soviets did this for eye surgery decades ago. They would have patients on a carousel with surgeons each applying one step of the surgery. Then the entire patient carousel would shift with the next surgeons applying their one step to the next patient.

  19. Re:did they tell her? by Kavorkian_scarf · · Score: 2, Informative

    You need to pay for health insurance in Alberta, and my health care is subsidized, so i do not in fact, pay for my health care.