Besides the well-known daVinci Surgical System, the market offers an increasing number of alternatives, designed to perform robotic surgery. Intuitive Surgical is the maker of the daVinci Surgical System, a robotic-assisted technology that is primarily used for minimally invasive surgical procedures in urology and gynecology. For quite some time, the daVinci Surgical System has had the business to itself and was able to see an increasing number of users and continued technological advancement as a result. Yet at this point, the system’s long-held monopoly is about to end as other systems are making their way into the surgical realm, including the Senhance Surgical Robotic System. The Senhance System by TransEnterix is a robotic system that functions with standard reusable instruments. It is primarily being used in oncology and cancer surgery.
Robotic systems are frequently used in endoscopy or to assist interventions that use miniaturized cutting and gripping tools. Robots filter and suppress the surgeon's tremors during surgery, a key advantage of robotic technology.
For most applications, robots must be able to perceive their environment at a certain level. Apart from sensors, the technology also hinges on complex algorithms. Artificial intelligence also plays a key role in creating the conditions necessary for the use of robotic-assisted surgical systems. Advancements in surgical robotics are only possible when technology, machine learning, and the human aspect (the surgeon) interact perfectly together.