New Surgery Robot Makes The Cut For Rutgers Docs

NEWARK, NJ — A new generation of surgical robots are helping doctors to make a leap in patient care, including surgeons affiliated with Rutgers University.

According to Rutgers, many of the current robots used for surgery have three separate arms, which can enter patients through three separate cuts and triangulate on the target tissue. But the latest generation of robots pack those three arms and a camera into a single cylinder or port that enters the body through a single, two-inch incision. The camera and arms then fan out around the surgical site to do their work.

The result? Less tissue needing to be cut and quicker recover times for patients.

Two of the four such robots that are currently in New Jersey health care facilities are in the hands of Rutgers doctors. And they’re already making a big impression, the university reported last month.

Evan Kovac, an associate professor of urology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, is able to use the new device to access the prostate without first cutting through the abdominal cavity, which reduces pain and the risk of bowel injury. Having all three robotic arms enter the body through a single site allows access into small spaces that can be inaccessible with the multi-port robot, he says.

“The single-port robot is the next technological step, even better than its multi-port predecessors because it is even less invasive,” said Kovac, who is one of the first at his institution to begin using the new device.

“Many cancer operations that have always required overnight hospital stays can be done as outpatient procedures,” said Kovac, who says robotic surgery has several advantages over open surgery.

“Patients benefit from less blood loss, spend fewer nights in the hospital and minimize or even avoid narcotic pain medication after they go home,” Kovac said.

He isn’t the only Rutgers surgeon that feels this way.

Sammy Elsamra, an associate professor of urology at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, has utilized the limited footprint of the single-port robot to access the space behind the peritoneum for various surgeries.

It’s not going to make other robots outdated – but is still a big step forward, Elsamra said.

“The single-port robot may not replace the three-port robot for all surgeries, though early adopters, like those at Rutgers, are working towards developing and improving upon new techniques for this new system,” Elsamra said.

Urology and ear-nose-and-throat residents at both medical schools also have early access to the innovative robots during their training, Rutgers says.

The robots also provide clinical care to patients at University and Robert Wood Johnson hospitals. Common procedures that have featured the new technology include partial and complete removal of the prostate or kidneys, and urinary reconstructive surgery.

The single-port robot is also utilized by ear, nose and throat specialists, Rutgers said.

Watch a video about the new robot here.

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