Laparoscopic vs. Robotic Surgery: What’s the Difference?

Surgery has come a long way since the days of old. Historically, surgery meant large incisions, long patient recoveries, and an increased risk of infection and complications. Now that technology and practices have evolved, so has the art of modern surgery.

 

Today, most surgeries are performed laparoscopically or with a robotic system, so they are lower risks for patients. Because these procedures are minimally invasive, patient recoveries are quicker, results are more accurate, and outcomes are more positive.

Laparoscopic surgery has been around since the 1990s. And while robotic surgery is the latest arrival on the surgical scene, its safety and efficacy are unmatched. Both types of surgeries are standard treatments for many medical conditions, including hernia repair, acid reflux, gallbladder removal, and stomach surgery. In many cases, laparoscopic and robotic surgical procedures take less time to complete.

To better understand the benefits and differences between both procedures, continue reading this laparoscopic vs. robotic surgery guide.

• What is Laparoscopic Surgery?
• What Is Robotic Surgery?
• What’s the Difference Between Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery?
• What Are the Advantages of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery?
• When Are Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery Used?

What Is Laparoscopic Surgery?

Laparoscopic surgery is performed entirely by hand. It’s a procedure with many names; the most common are keyhole, endoscopic, arthroscopic, and thoracoscopic. To perform laparoscopic surgeries, the surgeon makes one to three tiny incisions (5mm or smaller) on the patient’s body. The incisions allow the surgeon to insert a thin probe with a light and two-dimensional camera attached inside the patient’s body so he can perform the procedure.

Laparoscopic surgery is named for the techniques and tools utilized. Laparoscopic surgeries are used to treat many types of medical problems, including hernias, acid reflux, gallbladder, and bowel obstructions.

What Is Robotic Surgery?

Robotic surgery is a procedure that a surgeon performs with an advanced robotics surgery system. The advanced surgical robot is equipped with a three-dimensional camera and robotic arms that maneuver around the surgical field with greater dexterity and range of motion than possible with human hands. The robotics surgical system utilizes advanced technology like tremor-filtration, so the surgeon makes smooth and precise movements to operate with better accuracy and improve patient outcomes.

A robotic surgery system has three main components:

• A console for the surgeon to view the images generated by the camera and control the system to perform the operation.
• Robotic arms with tiny instruments that rotate and move in far more directions and angles and have greater dexterity than a highly skilled surgeon’s capable hands.
• Advanced cameras that provide magnified, real time color images in 3D with high resolution.

Unlike open surgeries and even laparoscopic procedures, there are significant advantages and far fewer risks involved with robotic-assisted operations.

What’s the Difference Between Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery?

While there are similarities between both types of surgeries, there are some key differences between them. Both procedures enable surgeons to perform surgeries with better accuracy and precision.

Both types of surgeries utilize small incisions, a camera, and certain surgical instruments. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgeries are minimally invasive.

They are often used for abdominal surgeries involving various organs located inside the abdominal cavity. Although both procedures are conducted similarly, their operative outcomes differ tremendously.

What Are the Advantages of Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery?

Most laparoscopic and robotic surgeries are performed in a hospital. Patients who undergo minimally invasive operations receive a sedative and general anesthesia to make them comfortable and desensitize the treatment area. Tiny incisions are made into the patient’s body so the surgeon can add gas or air to expand the area and insert the camera and small surgical tools.

The individual benefits of robotic surgery (a more advanced form of laparoscopic surgery) are:

• Robotic surgery patients recover much faster than all other types of operations.
• Significantly less postoperative pain when compared to both laparoscopic and traditional surgery.
• Fewer postoperative activity restrictions for patients.
• The cameras utilized by the robotics surgery system has three-dimensional lenses to provide the surgeon with a realistic view of the surgical field.
• The cameras allow the surgeon to scale his view and movements to reduce the amount of surgical trauma to nearby tissues and organs.
• The robotic arms and instruments give Dr. Khosravi better control to make smoother and more precise maneuvers.

Both procedures reduce the amount of blood loss that occurs, compared to traditional or open surgeries. Laparoscopic and robotic surgery patients spend less time at the clinic or hospital during recovery.

Most patients go home on the same day of their operations. Patients require less pain medication postoperatively and normally return to work, school, and their normal activities much sooner than their traditional surgery counterparts. Both procedures leave behind minimal scarring and cosmetic blemishes.

When Are Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery Used?

Laparoscopic practices are the standard in most medical procedures involving the abdominal and pelvic regions. But because robotic surgery involves the use of advanced medical technology, it is used to treat a wide variety of urological, cardiac, and gastrointestinal disorders and conditions, including the following:

• Hernias
• Tumor removal
• Colectomy
• Gastric bypass
• General surgery
• Appendectomy
• Gallbladder removal
• Hysterectomy
• Pelvic organ prolapse repair
• Lung resection
• Urologic surgery
• And more

Although both types of procedures are becoming the norm for treatment, it takes advanced training and skill to perform them. There are a handful of surgeons across the country who specialize in robotics surgery and offer procedures at an accredited medical clinic, like Dr. Abtin Khosravi, founder and director of Orange County Robotic General Surgery in California.

Key Takeaways

Minimally invasive surgeries (robotic and laparoscopic) lower the risks of surgery for patients. Not only do both types of procedures enable surgeons to operate and cause less trauma to the body, but recovery is also shorter because patients experience less pain and fewer complications. Laparoscopic involves smaller and fewer surgical cuts than traditional surgery. Although similar, robotic surgery is done with enhanced precision because the surgeon has more control and greater flexibility over his movements and the techniques utilized.

The addition of robotic technology enables surgeons to overcome the traditional limitations of both minimally invasive and open surgeries. Robotic surgeons who regularly perform these operations provide better patient outcomes to improve overall health and quality of life.

To learn more about laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery, contact Orange County Robotic General Surgery today 714-541-4996!

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