Microsurgery Milestone: Robots Help Surgeons Repair the Finest Nerves and Vessels

Robotic microsurgeries were successfully conducted on humans in Münster, Germany, in an innovative, remote operating method beneficial for both patients and surgeons.

“This new method for operations enables us to work with a much higher degree of delicacy and precision than is possible with conventional operating techniques,” says Dr. Maximilian Kückelhaus, from the Centre for Musculoskeletal Medicine at the University of Münster. “As a result, less tissue is destroyed, and patients recover faster.”

The robot – called Symani Surgical System – reproduces the surgeon’s hand movements reduced in size by up to 20 times, while eliminating completely any shaking in human hands. Through the use of a robotic microscope connected to the operation robot, surgeons are able to repair the finest anatomical structures like blood vessels, nerves, or lymphatic vessels which often are only 0.3 millimeters in diameter. Since they can operate in a remote fashion, surgeons can adopt a more relaxed posture and have much better ergonomics. Fatigue is prevented, and thus concentration can be maintained for hours. So far, five operations have been performed, and more are scheduled.