The Past, Present and Future of Robotic Assisted Surgery with Mark Slack

The UK Robotic-assisted surgery landscape has come a long way since it was first introduced in 2001. As technologies like high-resolution monitors, virtual reality, kinematic data technology and more continue to augment robotics, this surgical discipline is increasingly becoming more advanced at a tremendous rate. But with access to robotic units among trainees so scarce, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest evolutions to truly understand how revolutionary the technology is becoming. In our first episode of Surgical Robo-Talks, host, Jessica Butterworth (Society, KOL and Procedural Training Manager at CMR Surgical) and special guest co-host, Martin King (General Surgery Registrar based in Northern Ireland, and Immediate Past-President of the Association of Surgeons in Training UK & Ireland), speak with Chief Medical Officer of CMR Surgical, Mark Slack. We’ll hear how Mark’s experience led him to a career developing the next generation of robotic-assisted surgery systems and how systems and training could be implemented into the surgical curriculum to improve the skills of both qualified surgeons and surgeons in training. Plus, Mark gives us his vision for the future of robotic-assisted surgery and details the safety measures we need to consider as AI begins to integrate into systems. We’ll also ask:(3:17) - What led Mark to his position as CMO at CMR Surgical?(6:11) - How is robotic-assisted surgery benefitting patients?(8:33) - What does the typical learning curve for surgical trainees getting to grips with robotics look like?(11:11) - Will we see standardisation of techniques across different robotic platforms in the future?(13:33) - Could skills be translated from one system to another?(15:38) - How might big data and AI impact robotic-assisted surgery?(17:46) - How far away are regulator bodies from assessing the role of AI in robotic-assisted surgery?(20:21) - How will the increase in regulation and credentialing of new technologies impact surgeons’ careers?(22:44) - How quickly should we integrate new technologies into the surgical curriculum?(25:03) - How are robotic units helping with data capture?(28:56) - How can surgical trainees set themselves up for a successful robotics education before getting exposure to the systems?(31:14) - How does Mark see robotics evolving in the years to come?