Medicine In Brazil Gets Advancement With Robotic Surgery
The first robotic surgery performed in Brazil took place 15 years ago and since then the field has been growing, especially with the arrival of new manufacturers in the country. Even in the long term, specialists expect that, with an independent production of technologies , robotic surgeries have their costs reduced.
Maria José Carmona, professor at the Faculty of Medicine at USP (FMUSP), member of the Innovation Commission (InovaHC) and director of the Anesthesiology Division at Hospital das Clínicas at FMUSP, clarifies that the current Brazilian dependence on imported technologies makes these surgeries very expensive .
advance
The greater precision of movements provided by technology is pointed out by the teacher as a significant advance, considering that there is the possibility of performing more sensitive and delicate procedures. From a filter of small tremors in the surgeon’s hand, there is a refinement of movements, according to Maria José.
“There is an evolution, an increment of a technology that started with scopies surgeries. Just putting tweezers inside a cavity manipulated by the surgeon and, now, in this other phase that began some 20 years ago in robotic surgery, with the ability to manipulate distance from a robot”, he clarifies.
In the current context, the growth in the number of surgeries assisted by robots has been significant with the arrival of new manufacturers. However, in the professor’s view, this process, in the specific case of Brazil, should be considered as a technological incorporation. “I think we have to understand this, because Brazil is a dependent country in this area, that is, dependent on the importation of these robots”, she justifies.
Practice
In parallel with the technological incorporation of robotic surgeries, there is a program of continuing education and simulation of several stages for training the participating teams. Thus, Maria José points out that there are two investment fronts: technology and the team responsible for patient care.
At the Hospital das Clínicas of the Faculty of Medicine at USP (HCFMUSP) and at the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (Icesp), the professor mentions the use of robots to perform urological and thoracic operations, for example. “This technological incorporation is important, since it is currently considered a standard procedure for some types of surgeries. However, it is limited by cost,” she muses.
Challenges
Maria José emphasizes the need for a technological independence plan in Brazil, since, with each robotic surgery performed, the country is paying royalties to the one who produced the technology. For example, the professor cites the government policies of South Korea with incentives for this development, while Brazil still has very timid investments, in her opinion.
The professor clarifies that, although the procedure is already considered standard in some cases, due to importation, it tends to continue with very high prices and limited access, especially in the Unified Health System. “I believe that we must use the technologies, but we must also be alert to having, at some point, independence, an internal production and research focused on these cutting-edge technologies in the health area”, declares Maria José, believing in the investment potential of Brazilian companies in the field.