Mentoring console improves collaboration and teaching in surgical robotics.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Surgical Technology
• Medical Engineering

Background:

• Surgical robots traditionally limit collaborative control among multiple surgeons or trainees.
• A novel da Vinci surgical robot introduces two collaborative modes: 'swap' and 'nudge' for shared instrument control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of a two-headed da Vinci surgical robot with collaborative control modes.
• To compare surgeon-resident collaborative performance against single-surgeon and single-resident performance.

Main Methods:

• Utilized dry laboratory exercises and animal surgery to assess the mentoring console's collaborative modes.
• Compared performance metrics of complex three-handed surgical tasks under collaborative versus individual control.
• Employed Student's t-test for statistical significance analysis.

Main Results:

• Collaborative 'swap' mode reduced task completion time by 25% compared to single-surgeon operation (P < 0.01).
• Collaborative control decreased task completion time by 34% compared to single-resident operation (P < 0.001).
• 'Swap' mode excelled in multi-hand tasks, while 'nudge' mode aided precise steps like suturing.

Conclusions:

• The da Vinci mentoring console significantly improves collaboration and performance in robotic surgery.
• This technology can enhance resident participation, surgical education, and patient safety in robotic surgery programs.