Versius Robot what is it and how it is used for laparoscopies (in 8 steps)

In this article we’ll talk about the Versius Robot, a top notch technological surgical tool. We’ll take a look at what is it, how it is used to perform a laparoscopy, a brief history of the company that invented it, and some considerations about what the future holds for this type of robots and for robotic surgery in general.

What is the Versius Robot

The Versius robot is a minimally invasive surgical system developed by CMR Surgical.

Versius is designed to assist surgeons in performing laparoscopic surgeries with greater precision and control. The tool features robotic arms equipped with surgical instruments that mimic the movements of the human hand but with greater dexterity and range of motion.

The Versius robotic system is designed to make minimally invasive surgery more accessible by offering a more intuitive and flexible platform compared to existing robotic surgical systems. It’s modular design allows for easy setup and adaptation to different surgical procedures and operating room layouts.

Versius has received regulatory approval in several Countries and is being used in various hospitals for a wide range of surgical procedures.

A laparoscopy performed using the Versius robot

Now let’s dive deep into all the steps required to perform a laparoscopy using the Versius robot. There are 8 steps in total:

Preparation: the patient gets prepared for surgery. This phase may require the patient to fast, undergo preoperative evaluations, and anesthesia administration. The surgical team also sets up the operating room and positions the patient appropriately.
Setup of the Versius System: the Versius surgical robot is brought into the operating room and positioned near the patient. The robotic arms must be equipped with specialized surgical instruments selected based on the specific procedure being performed.
Insertion of trocars: the trocars are small tubes inserted through small incisions in the patient’s abdomen. These tools serve as entry points for the robotic instruments and camera. Small incisions have to be made in the patient’s body in order for the surgeon to make the trocars pass through.
Robot setup and calibration: The surgeon sets up the Versius Robot, making sure that the robotic arms are both properly aligned and calibrated, to ensure accuracy and precision during the operation.
Console setup: The surgeon sits at a console located in the operating room. The console offers a three-dimensional view of the surgical area. The console also allows the most important feature for this type of surgery: the control of the robotic arms, which the surgeon can move using hand and foot controls.
Surgical procedure: once the surgeon has the control of the robotic arms from the console, the operation can begin. The robotic tools are inserted through the trocars and manipulated with precision by the surgeon.
Completion and closure: once the surgical procedure is completed, the robotic tools are withdrawn, and any necessary closure of the incisions is performed. The trocars are removed, and usually the incisions get closed with sutures or surgical glue.
Postoperative care: after the operation, the patient is monitored in a recovery area to ensure the full recovery. Depending on the specific procedure and the conditions, the patient may be discharged home on the same day or stay in hospital for observation and recovery.

Throughout the entire operation, the surgeon is assisted by the Versius Robot in performing the laparoscopic procedure with greater precision, dexterity and control compared to a traditional laparoscopic operation. The benefits also include a shorter recovery time and reduced pain.

Differences between the Versius Robot and the Da Vinci Robot

In another one on our articles, we explained how the Da Vinci Robot was the pioneer of robotic surgery. The Versius Robot, on the other hand, can be considered a “son” of the Da Vinci, but there are significant differences between the two:

The Da Vinci Robot is bulkier and larger compared to the Versius system, which has a more compact and modular design.
The Da Vinci System features four robotic arms, while the Versius is also available in a three-arm configuration.
Both systems use a control console, with the surgeon sitting in front of it to move the robotic arms. But while the Da Vinci console has a dual-screen setup, the Versius console features a single-screen interface. The control interfaces also differ slightly in terms of layout and ergonomics.
In terms of market presence, as of recent years, the Da Vinci has been widely adopted in numerous hospitals around the world, while the Versius System, while gaining momentum, still has a lower market presence due to it being more recent.

CMR Surgical: the company that developed the Versius Robot

As we already said, the company that developed the Versius Robot is called CMR Surgical.

It is a British company that specializes in the development of robotic systems for surgical procedures. The Versius Surgical System is their flagship product.

A brief history of CMR Surgical

CMR Surgical was founded in 2014. The founders had in mind the goal of making minimal access surgery more accessible through the use of robotics. CMR Surgical wants to improve patient outcomes, increase surgical efficiency, and reduce healthcare costs by providing a more versatile and user-friendly robotic surgical platform.

The company continues to innovate and develop new technologies with the goal of advancing robotic-assisted surgery and improving patient care.

The future of Versius robot and robotic surgery

So far the evolution of robotic surgery has reached significant goals in enhancing surgical precision, minimizing invasive nests, and improving patient outcomes.

As we said, the Da Vinci Robot was the pioneer of robotic surgery, and since then the robotic-assisted surgery field has significantly advanced, with each iteration refining capabilities and expanding applications across various specialties, and among them there’s the Versius Robot.

As we’ve seen, the Versius robot represents a notable evolution in robotic surgical platforms, with its versatility and ease of use.

Versius Robot, as advanced as it is, might still be a new starting point for even more advanced surgical systems in the future.

Th robotic-assisted surgery field promises to reshape the landscape of minimally invasive surgery and potentially revolutionize patient care on a global scale.

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