Robotic-assisted surgery can often feel like a technology straight from the world of sci-fi. Units with multiple articulating arms, sometimes operated by surgeons in separate rooms, can make these systems feel completely alien to traditional open surgery methods. And this image can present a hurdle to patients (and even some surgeons) for fear that the technology is too new and not tried and tested enough.   But as any seasoned robotic surgeon will tell you, robotics is just the next evolutionary step in surgery. From open surgery, to laparoscopic, to robotics, the ways in which operations are carried out are always changing, adopting new technologies and ever-better techniques.   In our season finale of Surgical Robo-Talks, we’ll be finding out how this surgical discipline has developed and how it’s making its mark on the surgical world with help from consultant colorectal surgeon and president-elect of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Jared Torkington. Our co-host today is consultant colorectal surgeon at University Hospital Limerick and past vice president of the Association of Surgeons in Training, Christina Fleming.   They’ll discuss how advances in laparoscopic surgery paved the way for robotic-assisted surgery and explore how the two were both received by the medical community when they first emerged. Plus, we’ll learn how robotic-assisted surgery could be incorporated into colorectal surgical training and ask what advances we might see in robotics in the coming years.    We’ll also ask:   (3:24) - How did laparoscopic surgery go from experimental practice to mainstream method?(5:56) – What caused the change in approach to laparoscopic surgery in the 1990s?(8:29) – Where does Jared feel the benefits lie in robotic-assisted colorectal surgery?(11:18) – How do you explain to patients that robotic-assisted surgery is just a progression from laparoscopic surgery and open surgery?(13:43) - Where was Jared when robotic-assisted surgery first appeared in soft-tissue surgery? And what was the general feeling towards it?(16:03) - Are more randomized trials needed to verify the success rates and benefits of robotics?(18:51) - Should registries be a standard part of robotic-assisted surgery?(20:52) – What do surgeons think about participating in registries?(24:09) – How should robotics be incorporated into robotic-assisted surgical training?(26:26) – Should surgical trainees be trained given the plethora of robotics platforms available?(29:36) - How could robotic-assisted surgical training be introduced in parallel to the current training systems?(35:06) - How could robotic-assisted surgery and its adoption evolve over the next five years? 

Big data is reshaping industries at an alarming rate, allowing businesses and organisations to better understand their customers. But big data isn’t just the reserve of the corporations. In fact, with more and more robotics systems making their way into the operating theatre, patient and procedure data has never been easier to capture.   But what kind of data is being collected? How is it being gathered? And what use could it be to patients, trainees and qualified surgeons?   In this episode of Surgical Robo-Talks, Jessica and co-host Fahad Ullah (Colorectal Trainee and ASiT Past Robotic Lead) are joined by Associate Medical Director at CMR Surgical and Consultant Urologist at University College London Hospitals, Justin Collins.   They’ll explore discuss how surgeons and educators can make sense of the tremendous amount of information being gathered and look at how this data could improve procedures and patient outcomes. Plus, they’ll explore how technologies such as computer-vision and tele-mentoring are being used to improve training and ask if there’s a place for AI in robotic-assisted surgery.   We’ll also ask: (2:57) – What kind of data is being collected through robotic assisted surgery and how is it being used?(4:24) – How do surgeons get access to their instrument data?(5:23) – What is computer vision?(6:44) – How can we determine which data is relevant and useful?(8:49) – What kind of robotics data could be useful to patients? And when could patient access to that data become a reality?(10:00) – How could robotics data be used to decrease the learning curve for trainees?(11:31) - How should surgeons and educators process big data sets to make sure they draw the right conclusions concerning best practice guidelines?(13:23) – How will big data help consultants beyond education?(15:37) – What is the current state of registries in the UK?(17:53) – What role could AI play in healthcare in the future?(19:59) – What are the opportunities and limitations of tele-mentoring? (21:29) – What can operating and remote surgeons do to set themselves up for success when working together for the first time?(23:12) – Is tele-mentoring suitable for all trainees at every stage of the learning curve?(24:49) - How can robotics-derived data help surgeons and trainees to meet performance metrics?(26:29) – How can surgical robotics data be used to help trainees benchmark their progress?

For robotics surgeons with long careers and a desire to pass on their skills, it can be tricky to get back into the mindset of a trainee. And this can make it hard to design effective training experiences that put trainees and their needs first. But for our guest today, the journey from trainee to consultant to trainer all happened within the last 6 years, giving her a unique insight into how to meet their educational needs.   In this episode of Surgical Robo-Talks, Jessica and co-host, Fahad Ullah (Colorectal Trainee and ASiT Past Robotic Lead) are joined by Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Deena Harji.   They’ll discuss Deena’s journey to find out how she went from trainee to trainer and learn how her experience has shaped the way she teaches her own trainees. We’ll also hear what advice Deena has for trainees wanting to make robotics part of their career and we’ll find out what skills they can learn to help their robotic tuition along before getting hands-on experience with a robotic unit.   Plus, we’ll hear why mentors are so important and discover how trainees can find their own.   We’ll also ask:   (3:09) - What was Deena’s journey from trainee to trainer like? (4:52) – Did Deena know that the future of her speciality was in robotics?(7:28) – What advice does Deena have for trainees wanting to get experience on surgical robotic platforms?(10:09) – Does Deena think that observing robotic-assisted surgery enhances or detracts from trainee surgical experiences?(13:16) – In Deena’s experience, can there be a transference of skills from one robotics system to another? And what are the key aspects of robotic-assisted surgery that a trainee must understand?(16:42) – How has Deena seen robotics training evolve and what more does she think needs to be done to improve training? (19:52) – What kind of exposure to robotics would Deena recommend to trainees at each level of their journey?(22:40) – What was Deena’s experience transitioning from trainee to consultant to robotics trainer?(25:55) – Are there any low-cost solutions that can help trainees to acquire additional skills to prepare them for training on robotic systems?(28:29) – How important are mentors in robotic-assisted surgery? And how did Deena find hers?(30:50) – Where does Deena think robotics will be in the next five years?