In the 21st century, surgical robotic systems have become the new frontier of minimally invasive surgery. When applied safely by experienced surgeons, robotics has the potential of expanding the range and accuracy of challenging and complex procedures with less risk and greater patient comfort.

Robotic systems are essentially remote-controlled devices connected to computers that allow surgeons to operate through very small incisions while monitoring and adjusting system instruments in response to heartbeat, breathing and other physiologic movements. However, this new technology is far from intuitive and diverges from the traditional ways that practitioners interact with the physical world, making intensive training outside the OR mandatory for physicians to develop the skills necessary to use these systems to operate on human patients.

ESTAR is actively evaluating the benefits of this new technology and the enormous implications it has for the practitioner and patient. Emory's medical community has responded enthusiastically to ESTAR's learning modules for training in the most current minimally invasive, robotic technologies, and off-campus clinicians and educators arrive regularly at the center to study how to add robotics to their training programs and to participate in the various training sessions the center offers annually.

For more information on the center's robotics curricula and training, please contact ESTAR at 404.727.1540.