Medic-aid

The operating theatre, for years the sole preserve of highly skilled surgeons with steady nerves and steadier hands, is fast becoming home to a new generation of medical assistants with even steadier hands, and no nerves at all: medical robots.

Advances in surgical knowledge and techniques, coupled with improvements in robotics and imaging technology, are leading to the increasing development and use of robotic assistants. From robot medics on wheels to specialised systems designed to complement and enhance a surgeon’s skill, robots offer tremor-free, minimally invasive procedures that could potentially result in less risk of damage, a speedier recovery time and a shorter hospital stay.

But some in the medical world have voiced concerns that technology will relegate surgeons to the role of a minor technician. Do surgeons really want to spend years training — only to find the closest they can get to a patient is behind a joystick?