South Africa Launches Spider-Like Robot With 4 Arms To Perform Surgeries

The Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, is set to become the first state hospital in Africa to perform robotic-assisted surgery following the launch of the state-of-the-art Da Vinci X-I surgical robot.

At a cost of just under 40-million rands (1-billion naira), the multi-armed robot will aid surgeons in doing complex surgeries on the human body in a less invasive and shorter period of time. Robotic Surgery Coordinator at the hospital, Dr Samkele Salukazana today demonstrated its capabilities. He says the technology offers a host of benefits for both surgeons and patients.

“It’s really an amazing piece of equipment, more especially the hand movement essentially can almost do 360 degree movements in the hands, which you don’t get with conventional laparoscopy and that’s the art in robotic surgery, better vision, magnification, clean clear visual of the anatomy and easier dissection with range of movement,” says Dr Salukazana.