During my research in learning about the gastric sleeve procedure I came across something called "Robotic Surgery". In short, a surgeon would operate on a patient from a console adjacent to the operating table, and instead of manually operating a cart with 4 robotic arms would do the actual procedure while under the remote control of the surgeon.

I read that these are used mostly in Gynecology and Urology, but I haven't seen anything stating it was used in Bariatrics as well.

How do you all feel about the idea of a surgeon remotely operating on you?

I for one am repulsed and terrified by the idea... I'd much rather the delicate hands of a surgeon meticulously performing the procedure live, directly on-me. No robot arms on my body.

What about you?

During my research in learning about the gastric sleeve procedure I came across something called "Robotic Surgery". In short, a surgeon would operate on a patient from a console adjacent to the operating table, and instead of manually operating a cart with 4 robotic arms would do the actual procedure while under the remote control of the surgeon.

I read that these are used mostly in Gynecology and Urology, but I haven't seen anything stating it was used in Bariatrics as well.

How do you all feel about the idea of a surgeon remotely operating on you?

I for one am repulsed and terrified by the idea... I'd much rather the delicate hands of a surgeon meticulously performing the procedure live, directly on-me. No robot arms on my body.

What about you?

My surgeon uses a robot. I actually had the choice of having my surgery performed at one of two hospitals where my surgeon performs surgery. The one I planned to use had a robot, but he wasn't using it there because his team hadn't yet been trained on it and the other hospital he used it because they had been. I asked him what the difference would be for me and he said there was really no difference.

I chose the non-robot route because 1) I liked the hospital and 2) I could be scheduled sooner.

All things being equal, the most important thing is the skill of the surgeon and surgical team. The tools they use are really not that big a deal to me. I just want a safe, effective, successful surgery.

I had my surgery done at the Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, where my surgeon teaches robotic gastro-intestinal surgery. Everything went super-duper with an uncomlicated recovery.

The robotic arms can move and angle in a way that human arms cannot. My surgeon does robotic surgery but not at the surgery center I am going to. It kinda gives me the willies too if I'm honest, but I trust my surgeon's opinion on her skills.

I just hope the manufacturer of the surgical robot isn't the same one who makes those crane-claw prize games you find at carnivals. Then every time the surgeon goes to retrieve the removed section of the VSG stomach, the claw will hit the side of the abdomen dropping that piece of stomach back in.

In all seriousness, I had a traditional surgery, but read many positive aspects of the robotic bariatric WLS (less invasive, finer control, etc.).

There is one called the da Vinci system you can Google. There must be other manufacturers out there too.

Yeah I've been doing a lot of reading and YouTubing about the Da Vinci system... I get the medical benefits, but I guess my over-active and often paranoid mind makes me worried the arms would start doing whatever they wanted and wreaking havoc during the procedure.

The literature made heavy mention of "no autonomous movement from the robot without the input of the surgeon" - I know there are people like me with my own jitters and uneasiness about it, but if that machine were on the internet or on a network it could be hacked and compromised etc. I'm sure there are safeguards and whatnot, but I am still a proponent of doing it the tried-and-true way.

Also, when doctors are working with their hands and directly in control of the tools they could feel what was going on as opposed to the machine removing that tactile feeling.

This is my first post on here. I hope this helps. I had my procedure done May 27th, 2016 at University of Pennsylvania. My Doctor did an excellent job and the procedure was done using the robotic arms. I am down 52 lbs. with no complications. Hope this helps. Good luck.

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I just had robotic surgery on the 15th. My surgeon gave me the option. The incisions are smaller with the robot. No problems at all.