Telerobotic anterior translocation of the ulnar nerve

J Robot Surg. 2011 Jun;5(2):153-6. doi: 10.1007/s11701-010-0226-7. Epub 2011 Feb 18.

Abstract

The application of telerobotics in the biomedical field has grown rapidly and is showing very promising results. Robotically assisted microsurgery and nerve manipulation are some of its latest innovations. The purpose of this article is to update the community of shoulder and elbow surgeons on that field. Simple anterior subcutaneous translocation of the ulnar nerve was first experimented in two cadavers, and then performed in one live patient who presented with cubital tunnel syndrome. This procedure is the first reported case using the robot in elbow surgery. In this paper we attempt to analyze various aspects related to human versus robotically assisted surgery.

Keywords: Cubital tunnel; Robotic surgery; Telesurgery; Ulnar nerve.