Robotic surgery is a type of surgery where the surgeon uses very small tools attached to a robotic arm. The surgeon controls the arm and the tools with a computer.
Not all types of surgery can be done with robotic surgery. Types of surgery it can be used for include:
- Cardiac surgery, including bypass and mitral valve repair
- Tumor removal
- Certain types of organ removal, including hysterectomies and kidney removal
- Hip replacement
Like other types of surgery, you’ll be under general anesthesia for robotic surgery. Your surgeon will make small cuts to put the instruments in your body, including a camera that lets the surgeon look at 3-D images of your body during the surgery.
Robotic surgery uses smaller cuts than other types of surgery, which means you can recover more quickly, with less pain and bleeding, less infection risk, and a shorter hospital stay.