Robotic Surgery: What it is and how it helps patients and surgeons

Robotic-assisted surgery has become increasingly common over the past several years. Today, millions of procedures are performed worldwide using robotic systems, and surgeons across many specialties are trained to use this technology. As a result, robotic surgery is now part of the standard of care across many specialties, and its use continues to grow as technology advances.

How robotic surgery works

A full surgical team — an assistant surgeon at the bedside, nurses, anesthesiologists and specialized technicians — supports every robotic procedure. During a robotic-assisted procedure, your surgeon may sit at a console just a few feet from you in the same operating room or directly next to you. Depending on the robotic platform and surgical specialty, they may use hand controls and foot pedals to direct robotic arms equipped with tiny surgical instruments and a high-definition (HD) three-dimensional (3D) camera, or they may control robotic arms and devices directly at the bedside.

Several features set robotic systems apart from traditional surgery:

• A camera provides a magnified, 3D view of the surgical area that is far superior to what the naked eye can see.
• Systems filter out any natural hand tremors, so movements are rock-steady.
• Surgeons can scale their motions—meaning a large hand movement at the console might translate to a tiny, millimeter-level movement inside the patient.

All of this equates to a level of precision that is difficult to achieve any other way.

Benefits for patients

In general, robotic technology supports a less invasive approach, allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures through very small incisions with a high degree of precision. For patients, this can mean:

• less post-operative pain
• lower infection risk
• reduced blood loss and complications
• shorter hospital stays
• faster recovery
• smaller scars

Your main questions answered

If you or someone you love is told you need surgery and the surgeon mentions using a robot, it’s completely normal to pause and have questions. Below are a few questions that are commonly asked and answers to questions about robotic surgery.

Is the robot doing my surgery?

Patients often ask, “Does the robot do my operation?” The short answer is no. Your surgeon is always in control. The robot is an incredibly sophisticated tool that extends your surgeon’s hands, eyes and precision far beyond what the human body alone can achieve. The robotic instruments can rotate and bend in ways that mimic — and in some cases exceed — the range of a human wrist, allowing surgeons to work in tight, hard-to-reach spaces through incisions that are often less than an inch long. If at any point there is a need to change course, the surgeon can immediately switch to a traditional surgical technique.

Is this experimental?

Not at all. Robotic surgery has been performed for more than 25 years. These are well-established technologies backed by thousands of published studies. Your surgeon recommends a robotic approach only when the evidence and their clinical judgment suggest it is the best option for your specific situation.

What if something goes wrong with the robot?

Every robotic system has multiple layers of redundancy and fail-safes. Instruments are calibrated before each case. And crucially, the surgeon can disengage the robotic system and complete the procedure using conventional techniques at any time. The entire operating room (OR) team trains together for exactly these scenarios.

Can I request robotic surgery?

Absolutely. If you’re a candidate for a minimally invasive approach, you should ask your surgeon whether a robotic option is available. Not every procedure is best suited for robotic assistance, and your surgeon will be honest about whether it’s the right choice for you.

The robots: A guide by specialty

Not all surgical robots are the same. Different platforms are designed for different types of procedures. Here’s a look at the major systems patients may encounter today.

Soft-tissue surgery: The da Vinci® platform

The da Vinci surgical system by Intuitive Surgical is the most widely used surgical robot in the world. It is used across a broad range of specialties including general surgery (i.e., hernia repairs, gallbladder removal, colon and rectal surgery, and bariatric procedures), urology (i.e., prostate and kidney surgery), gynecology (i.e., hysterectomy and fibroid removal), thoracic surgery (e.g., lung procedures), and head and neck surgery.

• The DV5 model represents a major leap forward with technology that allows the surgeon to actually feel tissue resistance through the console.
• The da Vinci SP (Single Port),advances minimally invasive surgery by using a single small incision rather than several small incisions. Through an opening about one inch wide, this system allows surgeons to operate using three fully articulating instruments and a HD3D camera. It is used for urologic procedures as well as select surgeries through the mouth to treat conditions in the throat and base of the tongue. For patients, this approach can result in less visible scarring and a quicker recovery.

Robotic lung biopsy: The ION® Endoluminal System

The ION, also developed by Intuitive Surgical, uses a flexible, robotic scope to navigate far into the lung's smallest airways—areas traditional scopes simply cannot reach—to help surgeons biopsy tiny, suspicious nodules. Advanced 3D mapping helps surgeons plan a precise surgical path and a shape-sensing catheter provides real-time navigation. This technology is increasingly being used to support earlier diagnosis of lung conditions while reducing the need for more invasive procedures.

In addition, this technology can be harnessed for a single-anesthesia event procedure. This means that patients, when selected appropriately by a multi-disciplinary team, undergo general anesthesia while their thoracic surgeon or interventional pulmonologist performs a lung biopsy. While they are asleep, the biopsy is read by a team of pathologists and if it confirms cancer, the patient is kept asleep and the lung cancer resection is performed in the same procedure. 

Orthopedic joint replacement: Mako SmartRobotics

If you’re facing a knee or hip replacement, your surgeon may use the Stryker Mako robotic system. Mako is designed to support a more personalized approach to joint replacement surgery by combining detailed imaging with robotic guidance. Here’s how it works:

• Before surgery, a CT scan of your joint is used to create a 3D model of your anatomy, which helps your surgeon plan the placement and size of your implant.
• During surgery, the Mako robotic arm provides touch-based feedback —like guardrails—to help the surgeon stay within the planned surgical area while shaping the bone. This level of precision is intended to protect healthy bone and surrounding tissue, which may lead to less pain, improved joint function and smoother recovery.

Spine surgery: Mazor X Stealth Edition

Spine surgery requires an exceptional level of accuracy, especially when placing screws near the spinal cord. The Medtronic Mazor X Stealth Edition combines robotic guidance with advanced imaging and navigation to help surgeons plan procedures using a detailed 3D model of the patient’s spine and then carry out that plan with robotic assistance. This technology is designed to support highly precise screw placement during surgery. For patients, that level of precision can mean less reliance on repeated imaging during surgery, a lower risk of complications and added confidence that surgical hardware is positioned exactly as intended.

What’s coming next

Several developments are converging that will transform what patients will see over the next decade.

New competition is driving innovation

Multiple medical technology manufacturers are introducing new robotic platforms, expanding the options available to surgeons. This growing competition is expected to speed up innovation and increase access to advanced surgical technology, benefiting both patients and health systems.

Artificial intelligence (AI) to support the operating room

AI is increasingly being integrated into surgical technology to support surgeons during procedures. These tools are designed to analyze surgical information in real time, offering insights that may enhance awareness, highlight potential risks (for example, identifying a critical structure before the surgeon reaches it), and support informed decision-making. AI is meant to enhance a surgeon’s skills.

Augmented reality and advanced imaging

Future robotic platforms may overlay a patient’s CT or MRI data directly onto the surgical field in real time, giving surgeons a kind of “X-ray vision” to see anatomy beneath the surface. 

Expanding into new specialties

Advances in surgical robotics continue to expand into new areas, including systems designed for microsurgery (reconstructing tiny blood vessels and nerves), minimally invasive gastrointestinal procedures, and even exploration of remote telesurgery—where a surgeon could operate on a patient hundreds of miles away. While these technologies are evolving, they are designed to support, not replace, the surgeon. Human judgement remains central to safe, effective surgical care, particularly when complex decisions are required in real time.

Key takeaways

Robotic surgery has changed what we can offer our patients: smaller incisions, faster recoveries and greater precision. Just as importantly, this technology is now available in many community hospitals close to where you live and recover. The robot doesn’t replace the relationship between surgeon and patient — it strengthens it by delivering better tools to deliver safe, effective care.