46. Low cost and alternative robotic surgical systems: a future perspective

Robotic surgical systems have been gaining considerable popularity in the medical world because of their benefits, but they are not always as accessible. In general, the costs related to the development of a robotic system are considerable and can easily hit the 100 million dollar (USD) mark for a first system that is ready for clinical use. Most surgical robotic systems generate revenue through service contracts and disposable consumables according to the “razor blade” sales model, making them less suitable for low resource settings. In order to gain acceptance of a technical innovation at a low-resource hospital, a different design approach is often required. By following a “bare-minimum design” methodology, with a strong focus on component interaction analysis (BMD-CIA), robotic systems can be developed that are modular, versatile, and work with reusable instruments. Although some robots are being developed to be more cost efficient, more work is needed to facilitate surgeons all over the world.