Some people fear that we are becoming too dependent on technology, which may have disastrous results in the future. I, for one am pleased at the development of novel technologies in the area of medicine and surgery. I think it is beneficial not only to the clinician but to the patient as well. Newer techniques allow professionals to perform life saving procedures that would not have been possible 30 odd years ago. Medicine relies quite heavily on technology whether it is for observations, diagnostic purposes or actual treatment. The focus is now being placed on developing methods that are non invasive thus shortening the recovery times, increasing safety and efficiency and of course being more cost effective.
Initially the scalpel was supreme in the surgical theatre; however vast improvements are now being made for the use of robotics in surgery. For example in the past clinicians would have used a combination of mirrors and lenses to examine the internal structure of the body. Once they obtained a vague idea of what was wrong, the patient would have an open procedure to correct the problem. This was then replaced by fibre optics and the development of endoscopes for more detailed observations so that a clearer and more definite picture was formed before conducting such big surgical procedures. Today endoscopes are equipped with lasers to take biopsy samples and the necessary tools to perform surgery as well as cameras to record images. This means that the patient does not need to go through unnecessary invasive procedures and less invasiveness means shorter recovery times, thus reducing the number of hospital beds being occupied – a start to reducing some of the burden on the NHS.
Back in May/April 2007, a caterpillar robot was being developed by researchers in the US. The caterpillar – only a few millimetres in length – was operated by push and pull wires outside the body and could crawl at a rate of 18mm’s per minute to deliver treatment to the heart. The use of a magnetic tracker system, tiny cameras and a radio frequency probe to correct irregular heart rhythms were just some of the possibilities being explored at the time. Though further research was required, it was suggested that the tiny robot could be used in surgery without having to stop the heart – a process that often causes problems post surgery.
Recently browsing through a newsletter at university, I came across an interesting article about the development of a surgical robot called the i-snake. Similar idea to the caterpillar in terms of less invasive procedures, Imperial College London, are developing the robot which consists of special motors, sensors and imagining tools encased within a flexible tube – a bit like a snake. Although being developed for heart bypass surgery, the robotic could also be used for other hard to reach areas such as the gastrointestinal tract, without having to perform more invasive techniques. Currently being perfected in the lab, the i-snake would hopefully allow more complex procedures to take place in the future. It seems like there are exciting times ahead with regards to the technological development in medicine :)
Initially the scalpel was supreme in the surgical theatre; however vast improvements are now being made for the use of robotics in surgery. For example in the past clinicians would have used a combination of mirrors and lenses to examine the internal structure of the body. Once they obtained a vague idea of what was wrong, the patient would have an open procedure to correct the problem. This was then replaced by fibre optics and the development of endoscopes for more detailed observations so that a clearer and more definite picture was formed before conducting such big surgical procedures. Today endoscopes are equipped with lasers to take biopsy samples and the necessary tools to perform surgery as well as cameras to record images. This means that the patient does not need to go through unnecessary invasive procedures and less invasiveness means shorter recovery times, thus reducing the number of hospital beds being occupied – a start to reducing some of the burden on the NHS.
Back in May/April 2007, a caterpillar robot was being developed by researchers in the US. The caterpillar – only a few millimetres in length – was operated by push and pull wires outside the body and could crawl at a rate of 18mm’s per minute to deliver treatment to the heart. The use of a magnetic tracker system, tiny cameras and a radio frequency probe to correct irregular heart rhythms were just some of the possibilities being explored at the time. Though further research was required, it was suggested that the tiny robot could be used in surgery without having to stop the heart – a process that often causes problems post surgery.
Recently browsing through a newsletter at university, I came across an interesting article about the development of a surgical robot called the i-snake. Similar idea to the caterpillar in terms of less invasive procedures, Imperial College London, are developing the robot which consists of special motors, sensors and imagining tools encased within a flexible tube – a bit like a snake. Although being developed for heart bypass surgery, the robotic could also be used for other hard to reach areas such as the gastrointestinal tract, without having to perform more invasive techniques. Currently being perfected in the lab, the i-snake would hopefully allow more complex procedures to take place in the future. It seems like there are exciting times ahead with regards to the technological development in medicine :)
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