Fear of loss – Will robots rob mankind of its surgical skills?

The advent of robotic surgery represents a profound leap in medical technology, promising increased precision, reduced recovery times, and less invasive procedures. However, this rapid technological advancement also brings with it the fear that human surgeons, over time, might lose their cutting-edge surgical skills as they increasingly rely on robots. This fear of loss is about the degradation of human capabilities that have been honed over centuries.

At the core of this concern is the idea that robotic systems, while highly advanced, may cause a form of skill atrophy in surgeons. Traditionally, surgical expertise is developed through years of rigorous training, including hands-on practice, simulators, experience in managing complications, and the development of a surgical intuition where an ability to anticipate and respond to the unimaginable variables that can arise during a surgery is honed to a fine art. This intuitive skillset is built on tactile feedback, manual dexterity, keen observation, and the ability to adapt and react to realtime unexpected situations. However, as robots take over more aspects of surgery, there is a risk that surgeons may become overly dependent on these machines, leading to a gradual erosion of these critical skills.

Agreed, that currently robots have to be programmed to a great extent by surgeons. Only surgeons can put the markers for robots to do their high-precision work, and only the surgeons can give the so many other necessary key inputs. So surgeons are still important in robotic surgery. But with various modalities like AI, millimeter accurate lesion localization, endoscopic or endovascular or laparoscopic minimally invasive approaches coming together, the role of the old-school skilled and experienced surgeons, who put incisions and cut bones relying on the feel of their hands and the view from their eyes; will vanish. Trainee surgeons will not bother to learn these skills and they in turn will not be able to pass on these valuable skills to the next generation. This could be particularly detrimental in emergency situations where robotic assistance is unavailable or in scenarios where manual intervention is required due to unforeseen complications.

As robotic systems become more prevalent, the training of new surgeons may shift, placing greater emphasis on operating and programming these machines rather than mastering the fundamental surgical skills.

While the integration of robotics in surgery undoubtedly brings significant benefits, the medical community must be vigilant about this potential downside – mankind must not lose the invaluable skills that make human surgeons irreplaceable.

Training programs should continue to emphasize traditional surgical techniques alongside robotic proficiency to ensure that the art and science of surgery remain in human hands because if robots fail, human surgeons must be available as the last backup.