title: The Tipping Point of Robotic Surgery In Healthcare: From Master-Slave to Flexible Access Bio-Inspired Platforms.
abstract: Surgical robots were introduced to overcome the technical issues of limited operative dexterity and inadequate visualization in complex body areas. Current surgical robotic systems are based on a master-slave relationship in which the master-surgeon provides operative guidance for the slave-robot to perform operative tasks. Robotic operations are most frequently applied in urology (primarily focusing on prostatectomy) and cardiac surgery. The evolution of surgical robotics has made significant strides in the past decade. There are, however, some limitatio0The future of robotic surgery promises several augmentations to provide improvements in surgical visualization, somatosensory perception, and enhanced robot-surgeon interactions. These can be achieved through advances in robotic research and academic healthcare leadership to develop the next generation of surgical robots such as the novel flexible access bio-inspired (FAB) platforms. The drive to move toward ever less-invasive and safer procedures while maintaining high-quality treatment outcomes has maintained the momentum of progress since the initial birth of minimally invasive surgery, so that robotic surgery can be increasingly applied in a wider range of healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: Professor of Cardiovascular Sciences and Cardiac Surgery, Imperial College London, UK.
authors.forename: Thanos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Athanasiou
authors.affiliation: CLINICAL LECTURER IN SURGERY, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, UK.
authors.forename: Hutan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ashrafian
authors.affiliation: CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOW, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: DIRECTOR OFMEDICAL IMAGING, DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTING IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, UK.
authors.forename: Guang-Zhong
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: PAUL HAMLYN CHAIR OF SURGERY, HEAD OF THE DIVISION OF SURGERY, HONORARY CONSULTANT SURGEON, IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON, UK.
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darzi