Scientists in London are developing a new device that could allow surgeons to carry out complex surgical procedures without having to cut into the patient's skin, accordig to a BBC report.
A team at Imperial College has been given $4.5 million to build and test a flexible surgical robot known as the ʽi-Snakeʼ.
The device, made up of a long tube housing special motors, sensors and imaging tools, has the potential to allow complex heart and bowel operations to be carried out without making an incision.
The device would be inserted into the patient through the mouth or other orifice, and would eliminate the need for conventional keyhole surgery, which requires several cuts to be made.
The i-Snake could mean cheaper, less invasive treatment and operations would be faster and recovery times quicker.
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