The Beginner's Guide to Computer Assisted Surgery

What Is Computer Assisted Surgery? CAS refers to a surgical concept that involves the use of computer technology. It is also referred to as computer aided surgery, computer assisted intervention, and surgical navigation. How Does It Work? CAS combines the precision of computer technology and the skill of a surgeon. The advances in health field have made it possible for medical professionals to use various technologies like 3D imaging and real-time sensing to plan and execute surgical procedures. In CAS, a virtual 3D model of the anatomical region of the patient to be operated is produced using specialized software. The surgeon examines the 3D model, assesses the case, and plans the surgery carefully. In many cases, specialized software programs are used to create a moving digital image of the patient's anatomical region as it is moved during the surgery. The image is processed in real time and it serves as a roadmap for the surgical procedure. It also guides the placement of surgical instrument during the surgery. The availability of such real-time data helps the surgeon enormously and allows him to complete the surgery successfully. What Are the Applications of Computer Assisted Surgery? Computer technology is used in a variety of standard as well as high precision surgical procedures including ENT surgery, orthopedic surgery, oral and facial surgery, visceral surgery, radiosurgery, and neurosurgery. What Are the Benefits of CAS? CAS is one of the important reasons behind the advances in health field, particularly in terms of surgical procedures, in the past few decades. There are a number of reasons why CAS is widely gaining recognition among medical professionals all over the world. * It creates a virtual three-dimensional model of the anatomical region that is about to be operated. It allows surgeons to plan and simulate the surgery in a virtual, preoperative environment. It reduces the difficulties and risks associated with the surgical procedure significantly. * It increases the accuracy of the surgical procedure considerably, which means smaller incisions, less pain, less scarring, shorter hospital stay, and shorter recovery time. * It plays a key role in joint replacement surgeries that require precise implant placement. In a non-CAS surgery, there is always a risk of incorrect prosthetic alignment due to human error. In a CAS surgery, there are no such risks as the surgeon can use real-time data to correct the procedure intra-operatively and make sure the prosthetic is positioned perfectly. * It increases the precision and accuracy of surgical cuts. It lowers blood loss and reduces the number of embolic occurrences. * It offers valuable real-time data to the surgeon during the planning, execution, and follow-up of the surgery. It reduces the risk of preoperative, intra-operative, and post-operative complications to a great extent. So, the patient is able to recover and return to his normal life quickly. Looking Beyond Computer Assisted Surgery CAS plays a key role in improving the precision and accuracy of surgical procedures and reducing the risks and difficulties associated with the same. It reduces the operating time and makes the job of the surgeon easier. One of the benefits of CAS is that it has led to other developments in the field of medical science. For example, it is one of the important factors that led to the development of robotic surgery, which is considered one of the incredible advances in health field.

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