Fully automated robot shows promise for surgery

Editor's Note

Autonomous robotic surgery performed by the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (STAR) may help healthcare providers improve outcomes and efficiency, while reducing errors, finds this study. STAR integrates a robotic arm, suturing device, and imaging capabilities.

Surgeons tested STAR against manual, laparoscopic, and robot-assisted surgery for porcine intestinal anastomoses and found the STAR anastomoses superior.

Unlike robotic systems used today that require surgeons to operate them manually, STAR works independently and uses a computer program informed by best surgical practices to determine where and how to place a suture.

The operating room may someday be run by robots, with surgeons overseeing their moves. Shademan et al. designed a "Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot," or STAR, which consists of tools for suturing as well as fluorescent and 3D imaging, force sensing, and submillimeter positioning.