Midland Memorial Hospital showcases newest robotic surgery machine

MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - People at Midland Memorial Hospital got to try out the newest robotic surgery machines and they even operated on a stuffed elephant.

The Da Vinci XI robot is the newest piece of equipment from Intuitive Surgical.

At the hospital, it was used to perform surgery on a stuffed elephant named Bobby.

In order for the robot to get into your body for the surgery, it requires just a few small cuts about a quarter of an inch in diameter which allows for a faster recovery.

It has two cameras within one smaller one that helps surgeons get really close to the operation with a much lower risk of infection.

The experience was special for one participant who already wants to go into medicine.

One of the negatives of the machine is the lack of feeling surgeons have.

Because they are using a piece of equipment that controls another piece of equipment, they cannot feel the skin or body part they are working on.

The robot, however, cannot move without the doctor sitting down and taking the controls.

The participants did the first half of the surgery for Bobby the Elephant and Dr. Bassett finished the job.

Bobby the Elephant is in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.

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