The International Space Station (ISS) marked a historic moment this past weekend as surgeons on Earth successfully operated on a small robot named spaceMIRA aboard the ISS. This groundbreaking event represents the first surgery conducted in space. Although the initial procedure was performed on a rubber fabric, it signifies an important step towards advancing the field of space surgery. This development is particularly significant considering the numerous manned space expeditions planned for the future, including a mission to Mars.
Participants in this groundbreaking operation reported it as a major success. The implications of this development are far-reaching, and not limited to space missions alone. The technology employed during the operation could potentially revolutionize remote surgery techniques on Earth, offering a valuable resource for treating patients in hard-to-reach locations.
Developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska, the robot, spaceMIRA, was transported to the ISS at the end of January aboard a SpaceX rocket. The robot, which was packed into a container about the size of a microwave oven, was installed by NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara who has been in space since September.
The operation was conducted from Virtual Incision’s headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Saturday.
The procedure took roughly two hours to complete, with a team of six surgeons taking turns to operate the robot. The robot was equipped with a camera and two arms to carry out the operation. During the procedure, the surgeons tested standard surgical techniques such as scraping, manipulating, and cutting simulated tissue made from rubber bands, Virtual Incision reported.
A video released by the company provides a glimpse into the operation, showing an arm equipped with tweezers stretching a rubber band while another arm equipped with scissors simulates a dissection by cutting the rubber band.
One of the main challenges encountered during the procedure was the time delay of approximately 0.85 seconds between the operation center on Earth and the ISS. The same experiment, using the same equipment, is slated to be conducted on Earth.
Virtual Incision, the company behind the robot, hailed the trial as a huge success, stating that it faced few, if any, setbacks. The company anticipates that this successful trial could potentially change the future of surgery
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NASA, which has been financially supporting the project, indicated that as space missions continue to increase in duration, the likelihood of needing emergency care, including surgical procedures ranging from suturing to more complex operations, also increases.
