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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Surgery for kidney cancer is going high tech. Clinical research shows robotic surgery has many advantages for the patient including reduced pain and quicker recovery.
Robotic surgery is most widely used for prostate cancer, but its now being studied for other conditions. A robotic surgery is done through several small incisions in the abdomen. Surgeons remove only the cancerous tissue from the kidney and repair the remaining normal tissue, all through the use of a robotic arm. The arm is guided by video taken by a camera controlled by a separate robotic arm.
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Researchers at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center say the latest generation of robotic arms has enhanced visibility and the device makes for easier cutting and suturing. This allows them to do a complex surgery robotically.
Study authors also say they have found a new technique for port placement. Port placement is the location of the small incision through which the robot operates. The new approach was tried in more than 50 cases and is now being used by medical centers worldwide. Researchers say the new positioning maximizes the range of motion for the robots camera arm and working arm.
SOURCE: Journal of Endourology, 2008
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