title: Trends in robotic surgery.
abstract: Robotic surgery began as a technology-driven innovation but is now becoming a genuine method of improving healthcare effectiveness worldwide. This comprehensive review introduces the current trends, using examples of specific systems to distinguish the various types of robotic surgical devices, from remote handling machines to those performing delicate local interventions. We end by commenting on how to extend existing systems and provide an account of the rapid developments in minimally invasive robotic surgery.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Design and Measurement for Automation and Robotics, Genova, Italy. cepolina@dimec.unige.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cepolina
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Challacombe
authors.forename: Rinaldo C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Michelini
mesh_terms: D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000295:instrumentation; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019723:Endoscopes; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D012371:Robotics / Q000639:trends*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation