Building a successful robotic-arm assisted orthopedic surgery program

Abstract

Building a successful robotics team is a long journey with much effort before the first surgery. It starts with sound business development and, in case of acquiring a system, an implementation plan, to make it a success. The pathway to a successful Robotics program is much more than choosing the desired robotic arm-assisted surgery (RAS) brand. Success also depends on the specific pathway optimization aspects of RAS. High-over, all systems introduce the computer and robotic-arm into the operating room. But all systems have subtle, but significant, differences. An essential aspect of a successful RAS project is the implementation phase. After deciding to purchase a Robotic system, the following training and OR setup phase should be prepared and executed. When the robotic system enters the operating room, aspects like arm position using the arm board should be evaluated critically since the robot needs sufficient working space. A suboptimal positioning will disrupt the team dynamics and lead to preventable delay. RAS requires new or adjusted skills. Two crucial aspects are eye-hand-feet coordination in combination with a different focus of the surgeon (also screen instead of 100% surgery field) and new cognitive decision making features. Robotic surgery is a perfect example of how technology can change a surgical field. This data acquisition is probably the most fundamental, powerful aspect of adding the computer into the surgical process. The most used robotic-arm systems in hip and knee arthroplasty are semi-automatic systems, and practically all major orthopedic manufacturers offer a device. ORs are a highly capitalized section of hospitals, generating high costs and critical revenues. Therefore, taking a closer look at workflows, inventory management, and team efficiencies is crucial. Improving these aspects in the OR has a high return on investment. RAS helps accurately observe everything occurring within and around the surgical process. These new data opportunities open the opportunity to work with surgical data science (SDS).