Surgical Robots Market Boost to Robot Performing Prostate Cancer Surgery through Urethra

Prostate cancer is known to affect one out of nine men in the United States. At present, the standard treatment available to cure this disease is radical prostatectomy which involves cutting through the abdomen in order to reach the prostate. This method of cutting and exposing healthy tissue and nerves might lead to erectile dysfunction and incontinence in some individuals who go through this procedure. Currently, there are no alternative endoscopic removal techniques for the reason that no available instruments allow surgical dexterity at a small scale.

To solve this problem, researchers have developed a tiny robot that might have the ability to revolutionize Surgical Robots Market. The robot is a lifelike model that can remove the prostate gland and tissues going through the urethra. Moreover, the robot can accomplish the tough step of suturing the urethra bladder.

The team developed a surgical robot with two arms in 2005. Its components were made of telescoping needle-size tubes, which were in turn controlled by software control techniques. Now, the team has further developed the prototype robot so that it is now a usable tool that can work within the urethra, which is only an inch in diameter.

The biggest challenge faced by researchers while developing this robot was to make a robot that can perform within the size of the urethra. Sewing in an area whose size is only an inch in diameter is a very complicated process. After the prostate is removed through the urethra, surgeons can control the concentric tube robot to accurately suture back the urethra to the neck of the bladder.

The anastomosis is the most challenging and crucial procedure that ensures urinary function. Researchers also suspect that surgery’s complication rate would be reduced if the surrounding structure and support ligaments and nerves for sexual function are left intact with less traction and trauma.

The surgery is done by a rigid endoscope bringing two concentric tube manipulator arms near the urethra. Once this is done, the needle arms pierce and then pulls a suture through the tissue. Simultaneously, the second arm grabs the suture, bringing it back to the bladder. The anastomosis portion of the surgery gets completed after seven to eight stitches.

The idea of making this robot was inspired by the thought of what would happen if a laser was added to one of the robotic devices used by the team and the instruments contract to fit the standard endoscope profile. The team will continue experimenting with the procedure and its usefulness in suturing other minuscule areas of the body that were almost unattainable before to human surgeons.

According to Value Market Research, the global surgical robots market was valued at around USD 3.1 billion in 2019 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of about 20% during the forecast period 2021-2028.