Posted on April 7: Tele-robotic surgery: Video game or real patient care?

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/anvari_robot.jpg” caption=”Mehran Anvari”]When surgeon Mehran Anvari slips his hands into the sophisticated controls of the three-armed robot named Zeus, it looks like he's about to embark on the latest video game adventure.

In reality, Anvari performs landmark laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgery on patients hundreds of kilometres away, using a cutting-edge technology known as tele-robotics.

Tele-robotics is a virtual-reality procedure that translates the surgeon's natural finger, hand and wrist movements into corresponding micro- movements of instrument tips positioned inside a patient in the next room or across the country.

Tele-robotics represents the next frontier in surgical care for patients in rural and remote communities by offering a technology that can bring necessary health care to areas that have limited access to medical specialists.

On Tuesday April 8, Dr. Anvari, professor of surgery and the founding director of the Centre for Minimal Access Surgery, will discuss this exciting new technology and its vast potential for changing the face of health care in Canada.

This Science in the City lecture will be held at the Hamilton Spectator Auditorium, 44 Frid Street in Hamilton and begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm). The lecture is free and all are welcome. To reserve your seat please call 905-525-9140, extension 24934 or email

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[img_inline align="right" src="http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/anvari_robot.jpg" caption="Mehran Anvari"]When surgeon <a href="http://www.cmas.ca/level2/faculty/bios/anvari.htm">Mehran Anvari</a> slips his hands into the sophisticated controls of the three-armed robot named Zeus, it looks like he&#039;s about to embark on the latest video game adventure.<p><br />
<br />
In reality, Anvari performs landmark laparoscopic (or keyhole) surgery on patients hundreds of kilometres away, using a cutting-edge technology known as tele-robotics. <p><br />
<br />
Tele-robotics is a virtual-reality procedure that translates the surgeon&#039;s natural finger, hand and wrist movements into corresponding micro- movements of instrument tips positioned inside a patient in the next room or across the country.  <p><br />
<br />
Tele-robotics represents the next frontier in surgical care for patients in rural and remote communities by offering a technology that can bring necessary health care to areas that have limited access to medical specialists.<p><br />
<br />
On Tuesday April 8, Dr. Anvari, professor of surgery and the founding director of the <a href="http://www.cmas.ca">Centre for Minimal Access Surgery</a>, will discuss this exciting new technology and its vast potential for changing the face of health care in Canada. <p><br />
<br />
This <a href="http://www.mcmaster.ca/research/ScienceintheCity.htm">Science in the City</a> lecture will be held at the <i>Hamilton Spectator</i> Auditorium, 44 Frid Street in Hamilton and begins at 7 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm). The lecture is free and all are welcome. To reserve your seat please call 905-525-9140, extension 24934 or email <a href="mailto:sciencecity@mcmaster.ca"></a><p>

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