This section was written by Associate Editor Paul Sharke. I ntuitive Surgical Inc. of Mountain View, Calif., makes remote surgical systems for minimally invasive procedures. Seated at a console, the surgeon can then duplicate the look and feel of open surgery while minimizing the size of the entrance wound. The system, described in an article in December 1999, was approved by the FDA last July for abdominal surgery.
Clinical trials continue for thoracic and cardiac applications.
The DaVinci system from Intuitive Surgical mimics open surgery without the trauma of a big opening. Surgeon, seated, relies on two assistants to monitor patient. Inset shows the surgeon's view. Central to the system are the two manipulators that the surgeon controls through a consort of wrist, hand, and finger moves. Calif. The motors serve as both inputs and outputs, Guthart explained.