Take me to your pancreas - Tiny robots used in surgical procedures

Physorg.com - January 12 2009, by Masayuki Takata

Tiny robots that aid surgical procedures and medical checkups currently are the focus of intense research and study. In fact, some of these small-scale devices already are in practical use.

The robots, equipped with arms less than 1 centimeter long, can move around inside the human body and treat affected areas, echoing ideas first set out in science fiction. The small devices are able to repeat subtle movements precisely, making doctors' lives easier. Furthermore, due to the size of the robots, patients need only small incisions to undergo major surgery.

Four domestic facilities have introduced medical robots using systems developed by U.S. companies, such as the da Vinci surgical system.

Under the da Vinci system, an endoscope and a clamp are used in tandem with the tiny robots, which enter the body via small incisions to treat affected areas or assist with bypass surgery. This latter technique is due to be introduced at Tokyo Medical University Hospital, which already has introduced the system for cardiac surgery and urology, according to the hospital.

The complete system weighs a total of nearly 1 ton.

The robots' arms operate similarly to human wrists. Surgeons operate by remote control scalpels and clamps attached to the arms, while viewing the targeted areas on a monitor.

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