Under the robotic knife

Within the next decade, computing power will give rise to augmented reality surgery and virtual reality surgery that will revolutionise the healthcare industry—and Thailand is well poised to be at the leading edge of this exciting new development.

Doctor Ashok K. Hemal, a professor in the department of urology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and a specialist in robotic surgery, was recently in Thailand to oversee a prostrate cancer operation at Bangkok Hospital using the Da Vinci laporoscopic robot. The operation was the first of its kind in Thailand.

Laporoscopic surgery is the use of a small camera and tools inserted into the body through a small incision. More recently, rather than use what are essentially special chopsticks, surgeons can now control specialised robots with miniature hands at the end of tiny arm rods inserted into the body. These have a range of tools from scissors, clamps, hands, scalpels to electric cutters, all with a full six degrees of movement.

Hemal predicted that we will see augmented reality surgery and even virtual reality surgery within the next five to 10 years.

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