Development of a microsurgery-assisted robot for high-precision thread traction and tension control, and confirmation of its applicability

The application of augmented reality in plastic surgery training and education: A narrative review

Continuing problems with fewer training opportunities and a greater awareness of patient safety have led to a constant search for an alternative technique to bridge the existing theory-practice gap in plastic surgery training and education. The current COVID-19 epidemic has aggravated the situation, making it urgent to implement breakthrough technological initiatives currently underway to improve surgical education. The cutting edge of technological development, augmented reality (AR), has already been applied in numerous facets of plastic surgery training, and it is capable of realizing the aims of education and training in this field. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most important ways that AR is now being used in plastic surgery education and training, as well as offer an exciting glimpse into the potential future of this field thanks to technological advancements.

Subretinal Therapy: Technological Solutions to Surgical and Immunological Challenges

Recent advances in ocular gene and cellular therapy rely on precisely controlled subretinal delivery. Due to its inherent limitations, manual delivery can lead to iatrogenic damage to the retina, the retinal pigment epithelium, favor reflux into the vitreous cavity. In addition, it suffers from lack of standardization, variability in delivery and the need to maintain proficiency. With or without surgical damage, an eye challenged with an exogenous viral vector or transplanted cells will illicit an immune response. Understanding how such a response manifests itself and to what extent immune privilege protects the eye from a reaction can help in anticipating short- and long-term consequences. Avoidance of spillover from areas of immune privilege to areas which either lack or have less protection should be part of any mitigation strategy. In that regard, robotic technology can provide reproducible, standardized delivery which is not dependent on speed of injection. The advantages of microprecision medical robotic technology for precise targeted deliveries are discussed.

Reinforcing the effect of microsurgery practice during robotic suturing skill acquisition

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of microsurgery practice during an interval in robotic surgical training.

METHODS

Two participant groups with 30 trainees each practiced Thread the Rings 1 on a dV-Trainer. There were four 2-h training sessions, with a 72-h interval between each session. Group A received no additional training during the study period. During every interval, Group B practiced a similar 2-h ring penetration exercise using a microscope three times (once every 24 h).

RESULTS

The 72-h delay between two sessions for Group A caused the forgetting effect. For Group B, additional microscope-based training aided memory retention. After the training session, Group B presented a significantly higher score than Group A in Thread the Ring 1 learning curves.

CONCLUSIONS

Adding microsurgical skill training into the basic robotic-surgery training curriculum could be helpful because additional trainings with a binocular microscope could improve robotic surgical skill levels.