Nicholson Center Blog

2015 was full of medical advancements in the medical robotic industry, and 2016 promises to surpass expectations. New medical devices and discoveries arise every day, and each announcement brings a new piece to the emerging health tech puzzle. Recently, Medtronic, a medical device company, joined in on the purchase of Hansen Medical’s Sensei robotic system.

Robotic surgery has progressed by leaps and bounds throughout 2015, with advancements in devices and training services making the surgeries safer and less invasive. These developments are a result of vast technological advances and widespread acceptance of robotic assistance in medical care. 2015 was a big year for implementing new robotic surgical devices, and below are some of the biggest technological advancements made for medical innovation.

According to the Pew Research Center, 52 percent of smartphone users gather health-related information using their phones. With advancements in health wearables and telemedicine, the mobile health revolution is in full force. From the way patients can now make appointments online to the methods in which doctors and health professionals provide care, the landscape is making a switch to mobile. Below are some of the top advances in mobile health technologies and what they mean for the future.

Health professionals face complex situations as they try to improve the ways they provide health care around the world. Developing countries face these problems as they attempt to serve their population’s needs when training resources are not available. This is why institutions like the Florida Hospital Nicholson Center bring in global expertise and provide international training and tools to those who need it. Below are some key reasons why the medical industry’s international ties are becoming increasingly important. 

You’ll probably notice an increase of men growing out their mustaches throughout the month of November, but do you know the real story behind the annual trend? The purpose of Movember is to raise awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer. The Movember Foundation has been empowering millions to join the health movement since 2003, and we are proud to support the continued effort to help develop the most effective surgical techniques for men’s health.

The future of robotic surgery in terms of head, neck and face procedures includes constant innovation to gain more precision. We stay up-to-date on the latest trends in the medical device industry to give us a good eye on what’s coming next. This month’s newsworthy medical innovation is a new mechanical wrist reported on in Popular Mechanics, made specifically for needlescopic surgery. A group of Vanderbilt engineers and doctors created the tiny wrist for enhanced flexibility for specialized minimally invasive surgery. It can be difficult to move around in small places, but this device could alleviate the manual difficulty of some procedures.  

Innovation is key when it comes to surgical training. We never stop looking to the future to see what’s coming next, but sometimes it’s good to take a look into the past to see how far we’ve come. From traditional laparoscopic surgery to robotic surgery, physicians have had to adapt to the changing environment at a fast pace, with surgical training methods evolving in its path. Below are the key events that shaped modern robotic surgery and allow us to keep growing.

1978: The first surgical robot was developed and used. Scientists developed the Puma 560 robot to perform more accurate neurosurgical biopsies.

As robotic-assisted procedures increase in the field of minimally invasive surgery, proper training and certification for surgeons is imperative. Surgeons have to overcome a new learning curve to acquire the technical skills associated with using the robotic system. Specialty specific curricula have been developed, but until recently no standardized training or assessment for basic robotic skills existed. To fill this gap, the Nicholson Center has developed an online curriculum and corresponding psychomotor skills device, known as the FRS dome, as part of the Fundamentals of Robotic Surgery (FRS).