Black Pean - Darwin information #1
May. 19th, 2018 02:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tronellaSpoilers for episode 5 (but nothing more than was shown in the preview after episode 4). Posted on the TBS site here before episode 5 aired.
Appearing from episode 5, it’s the robot surgical system Darwin*.
Our medical advisor will explain the basics of this cutting-edge “robot surgeon”.
*The Da Vinci robotic surgical system, which uses a high-precision 3D endoscope to perform very precise endoscopic surgical support, appears in the drama under the name “Darwin.”
Vol. 1: Interview with Dr Watanabe Gou, a pioneer of robotic surgery.
Dr Watanabe Gou is helping as an advisor on medical robotics for this drama. He is the head of the NewHeart Watanabe Institute and chair of the Japan Robotic Surgery Society, and is a pioneer of robotic heart surgery.
This time, Dr Watanabe will talk about robotic surgery.
What inspired you to work in robotic surgery?
During the course of my research, I became interested in endoscopy. Scientific research has reduced the size of the lesion, so probes and catheters have become part of the field of internal medicine, haven’t they? Within the process of reducing the size of the lesion, endoscopy is very important, so originally it was not used in heart surgery. Because of that, I have been thinking about bringing endoscopy into the world of heart surgery for over 20 years. I think that the use of this “robot” technique has finally made it a reality.
What is the most difficult aspect of robotic surgery?
Robot surgery is surgery with a camera in both hands and no assistant. It’s “one man surgery”, but that one person has to play two or three roles. It’s a completely new way of thinking about surgery. It also uses an endoscope, so there are also time restrictions. Of course, it was quite difficult to overcome this barrier. To stop the heart and restart it again, you have to do a round trip, so to put it in terms of war, it’s like a fighter pilot going to the battlefield and having to think about fuel while bombing, to make sure they can get back to the aircraft carrier. Performing the task while thinking about the weight of the fuel and the number of bullets is stressful. It was difficult to make that calculation, so they had to steadily increase their own skills so that they could do it themselves.
What can robotic surgery really do? What can’t it do?
I think that what happens in this drama is realistic. Dr Tokai deciding whether to use it or not goes well, doesn’t it? I think that’s how it would go. If someone unskilled used a robot, there’s no way it would go well or go quickly. I think the drama’s viewers will understand that, if an unskilled person uses it, it could be even more dangerous. Rather than just using a machine, it’s like a top-level F1 car race, where in the end it’s the person driving and controlling the car. No matter how far AI develops, I don’t think that will change. So far, we can make use of the robot’s strengths to perform precise surgery deep within the body, such as my specialism of valve surgery, bypass surgeries and so on. Perhaps the advantage of the robot is that it can surpass the accuracy of the human eye. In future, we will bring in AI and big data, so robotic surgery will definitely head in a different direction. However, at the moment robots are no more than a tool used by a human, like a F1 machine. It’s a common comparison, but no matter how much money you spend, if the driver has no skill, he can’t even start the engine. It’s very difficult to become a F1 driver, isn’t it? People with the talent for it have to be trained properly and put a lot of effort into it to improve. It’s not like you can just get a licence and be able to drive right away - it’s important to have the talent. And if a patient is going to have robot-assisted surgery, I think it’s important for them to know that a properly skilled and qualified person is going to do it before they decide.
How do you think robotic surgery will develop in future?
On 1 April this year, robot-assisted surgery for valvular heart disease started to be covered by insurance. There are currently 300 robotic surgery machines in Japan. We have performed robot-assisted heart surgery on about 460 patients over the last 13 years. In terms of market share, over 90% of hospitals currently use the Da Vinci system, and I think this will keep increasing from now on.
There are various forms of robot-assisted heart surgery than can now be performed, and I think the robot can also be used in other fields. At the moment, all of the robots are made in America, but in future there will be different robots for different diseases, and in the distant future they will use AI and big data, so there may be a time when instead of staying up all night until the break of dawn, we will be able to perform good surgery at the push of a button.
What do you think of how robot-assisted surgery is portrayed in this drama?
Robot-assisted surgery is now covered by insurance and will keep expanding from now on, so it would be good if the drama’s viewers think “robot-assisted surgery is very useful and doesn’t have to be dangerous”. But within robot-assisted surgery, heart surgery is particularly difficult. It has a time limit, and if you make a single mistake it can cause major bleeding. So even though it’s being shown in the drama, it may not really become so widespread. Since it’s a drama, of course there have to be some dramatic parts. However, the robot is basically something operated by a person, not something that does everything by itself when you press a button. I hope that aspect can be communicated properly. It would be good if this drama helps it become more well-known and correctly understood, even if it’s only by one more person.
What do you think of Ninomiya, who plays the surgeon Tokai?
It’s meaningless to be a surgeon if you don’t have the skill, so I feel that Tokai’s words and attitude as a surgeon with excellent technique are portrayed well. As for the actor Ninomiya himself, I’m sure he has the talent. I explained how to use the Da Vinci machine to him myself before the filming, and he picked it up very quickly. Also, we’re both left-handed, so I felt very close to him.
PROFILE
Head of the NewHeart Watanabe Institute
Chair of the Japan Robotic Surgery Society
Watanabe Gou
Born in Tokyo in 1958.
Cardiovascular surgeon, robotic surgeon (Da Vinci pilot), cardiovascular surgery researcher, doctor of medicine (specialist in cardiovascular surgery, preceptor of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery), etc.
As the lead surgeon, he was the youngest operating surgeon to perform a heart transplant in Germany, and he worked in Germany for 2.5 years.
Called the “genius heart surgeon” and “angel hands”, he is a world-famous surgeon and was chosen as one of the world’s best doctors for his superior skill and artistic operations.
Appearing from episode 5, it’s the robot surgical system Darwin*.
Our medical advisor will explain the basics of this cutting-edge “robot surgeon”.
*The Da Vinci robotic surgical system, which uses a high-precision 3D endoscope to perform very precise endoscopic surgical support, appears in the drama under the name “Darwin.”
Vol. 1: Interview with Dr Watanabe Gou, a pioneer of robotic surgery.
Dr Watanabe Gou is helping as an advisor on medical robotics for this drama. He is the head of the NewHeart Watanabe Institute and chair of the Japan Robotic Surgery Society, and is a pioneer of robotic heart surgery.
This time, Dr Watanabe will talk about robotic surgery.
What inspired you to work in robotic surgery?
During the course of my research, I became interested in endoscopy. Scientific research has reduced the size of the lesion, so probes and catheters have become part of the field of internal medicine, haven’t they? Within the process of reducing the size of the lesion, endoscopy is very important, so originally it was not used in heart surgery. Because of that, I have been thinking about bringing endoscopy into the world of heart surgery for over 20 years. I think that the use of this “robot” technique has finally made it a reality.
What is the most difficult aspect of robotic surgery?
Robot surgery is surgery with a camera in both hands and no assistant. It’s “one man surgery”, but that one person has to play two or three roles. It’s a completely new way of thinking about surgery. It also uses an endoscope, so there are also time restrictions. Of course, it was quite difficult to overcome this barrier. To stop the heart and restart it again, you have to do a round trip, so to put it in terms of war, it’s like a fighter pilot going to the battlefield and having to think about fuel while bombing, to make sure they can get back to the aircraft carrier. Performing the task while thinking about the weight of the fuel and the number of bullets is stressful. It was difficult to make that calculation, so they had to steadily increase their own skills so that they could do it themselves.
What can robotic surgery really do? What can’t it do?
I think that what happens in this drama is realistic. Dr Tokai deciding whether to use it or not goes well, doesn’t it? I think that’s how it would go. If someone unskilled used a robot, there’s no way it would go well or go quickly. I think the drama’s viewers will understand that, if an unskilled person uses it, it could be even more dangerous. Rather than just using a machine, it’s like a top-level F1 car race, where in the end it’s the person driving and controlling the car. No matter how far AI develops, I don’t think that will change. So far, we can make use of the robot’s strengths to perform precise surgery deep within the body, such as my specialism of valve surgery, bypass surgeries and so on. Perhaps the advantage of the robot is that it can surpass the accuracy of the human eye. In future, we will bring in AI and big data, so robotic surgery will definitely head in a different direction. However, at the moment robots are no more than a tool used by a human, like a F1 machine. It’s a common comparison, but no matter how much money you spend, if the driver has no skill, he can’t even start the engine. It’s very difficult to become a F1 driver, isn’t it? People with the talent for it have to be trained properly and put a lot of effort into it to improve. It’s not like you can just get a licence and be able to drive right away - it’s important to have the talent. And if a patient is going to have robot-assisted surgery, I think it’s important for them to know that a properly skilled and qualified person is going to do it before they decide.
How do you think robotic surgery will develop in future?
On 1 April this year, robot-assisted surgery for valvular heart disease started to be covered by insurance. There are currently 300 robotic surgery machines in Japan. We have performed robot-assisted heart surgery on about 460 patients over the last 13 years. In terms of market share, over 90% of hospitals currently use the Da Vinci system, and I think this will keep increasing from now on.
There are various forms of robot-assisted heart surgery than can now be performed, and I think the robot can also be used in other fields. At the moment, all of the robots are made in America, but in future there will be different robots for different diseases, and in the distant future they will use AI and big data, so there may be a time when instead of staying up all night until the break of dawn, we will be able to perform good surgery at the push of a button.
What do you think of how robot-assisted surgery is portrayed in this drama?
Robot-assisted surgery is now covered by insurance and will keep expanding from now on, so it would be good if the drama’s viewers think “robot-assisted surgery is very useful and doesn’t have to be dangerous”. But within robot-assisted surgery, heart surgery is particularly difficult. It has a time limit, and if you make a single mistake it can cause major bleeding. So even though it’s being shown in the drama, it may not really become so widespread. Since it’s a drama, of course there have to be some dramatic parts. However, the robot is basically something operated by a person, not something that does everything by itself when you press a button. I hope that aspect can be communicated properly. It would be good if this drama helps it become more well-known and correctly understood, even if it’s only by one more person.
What do you think of Ninomiya, who plays the surgeon Tokai?
It’s meaningless to be a surgeon if you don’t have the skill, so I feel that Tokai’s words and attitude as a surgeon with excellent technique are portrayed well. As for the actor Ninomiya himself, I’m sure he has the talent. I explained how to use the Da Vinci machine to him myself before the filming, and he picked it up very quickly. Also, we’re both left-handed, so I felt very close to him.
PROFILE
Head of the NewHeart Watanabe Institute
Chair of the Japan Robotic Surgery Society
Watanabe Gou
Born in Tokyo in 1958.
Cardiovascular surgeon, robotic surgeon (Da Vinci pilot), cardiovascular surgery researcher, doctor of medicine (specialist in cardiovascular surgery, preceptor of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery), etc.
As the lead surgeon, he was the youngest operating surgeon to perform a heart transplant in Germany, and he worked in Germany for 2.5 years.
Called the “genius heart surgeon” and “angel hands”, he is a world-famous surgeon and was chosen as one of the world’s best doctors for his superior skill and artistic operations.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-19 03:47 pm (UTC)Wooooww! Thats... wow!!
I am speechless when I saw a robot for surgery in preview for next episode. And this information make me more fascinated about medical world and technology.
Oh, thank you for your translations for these too ^ - ^
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-25 09:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-19 03:52 pm (UTC)Wow the surgeon is awesome!!
Big data is on roll nowadays and i can imagine it would be used for robotic surgery in the future.
In Last Hope drama one of the episodes covered bout the robotic surgery for internal abdomen but not in very detailed way lol
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-25 09:58 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-20 05:24 am (UTC)thank you for this!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-05-25 09:58 am (UTC)