Use of robotics in surgeries has risen eightfold in recent years

The use of robotics in common surgical procedures has increased more than eightfold in the U.S. in recent years, according to a new study. Looking at data between January 2012 and June 2018, researchers found that robotic surgeries made up less than 2% of surgeries in 2012, but rose to around 15% six years later. Among surgeons, 9% used robotics in 2012, whereas that rose to 35% in 2018. Hernia repairs — in the groin and in abdominal muscles — saw a more than fortyfold increase in robotic surgeries, while gall bladder removals experienced a threefold increase in the use of robotics. At the same time, the analysis found that with the increased implementation of robotics in surgeries, rates of other common methods, such as laparoscopic surgery and open surgery, declined.