On February 10, 2024, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) simulated surgical cuts using a robot for the first time. Ground-based surgeons remotely controlled the robot, which translates the surgeon’s movements to guide instruments in real-time

Astronauts say the work will help them fly further from Earth than ever before. One slice through rubber bands may pave a new pathway for space surgeons. 

A game-changer is a newly introduced element or factor that changes an existing situation or activity in a significant way. For example, a game-changer can be an innovative idea, product, or procedure that changes the rules of a process. 

Robotic surgery is surgery with very small incisions and better magnification, resulting in faster recovery times and fewer risks. 

On February 10, 2024, astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) simulated surgical cuts for the first time using a robot named spaceMIRA. The robot, which stands for Miniaturized In Vivo Robotic Assistant, was developed by Virtual Incision (VIC) and the University of Nebraska. It has two arms and a camera, and is remotely controlled by a team on Earth

The experiment lasted about two hours and involved six surgeons operating the robot. The robot’s simulated tissue is made of rubber bands, and the surgery tested standard surgical techniques like grasping, manipulating, and cutting tissue

Yes, surgical procedures can be performed in microgravity if the right equipment is used. This includes sterile drapes, sutures, instruments, and an operating table. Restraints are also required for the patient, surgeon, and equipment

Studies have found that surgical procedures are feasible in space, but more difficult than on Earth. For example, astronauts have performed laroscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, on animals in microgravity. 

In general, the procedure for dealing with a surgical emergency in manned spaceflight is to stabilize the patient and get them transported back to Earth. However, due to the difficulty of resupply from Earth and the long communication delay during deep space missions, astronaut medical and surgical care will likely need to be self-sufficient

First-ever surgery in orbitDeemed a “huge success” by participants, the experiment as per the news agency represents a significant advancement in space surgery technology. This could be crucial for treating medical emergencies during long-term manned missions, such as those to Mars

In the event of a medical emergency, the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) is in charge. The CMO is trained in first aid, stitching wounds, and giving injections. All astronauts are trained for emergency resuscitations in case of heart attacks. 

If an astronaut needs surgery, they will discuss it in private medical conferences with flight surgeons in Mission Control. A trained CMO astronaut can help them.

Becoming an astronaut can take about 10 years, including four years of college, two years for a master’s degree, two years of professional experience, and two years in the NASA Astronaut Corps. NASA only selects less than 1% of applicants as astronaut candidates

Astronauts must have a lot of knowledge, including biology, astrophysics, and aeronautical engineering. They must also pass physical tests, including scuba certification and swimming three laps in a pool while wearing a flight suit. They must also undergo military land and water survival training. 

Astronauts’ work is not limited to when they are in space. When they are not flying on a mission or training for a mission, they support other missions. 

Astronauts can experience a number of challenges, including:

• Low gravity Low gravity can affect astronauts’ blood and bones, and long stays in space can cause health issues. 
• Stressful working conditions Astronauts can feel pressured to perform at all times, and the working conditions are stressful and dangerous. 
• Limited social interactions Astronauts often forge meaningful relationships with other crewmembers, but social interactions are limited. 
• Motion sickness Astronauts can experience motion sickness, loss of balance, and loss of taste and smell. 
• Distorted vision The fluid in human eyes can distort, causing distorted vision. It can take several weeks or months for the body to adapt to this redistribution of fluid. 

SpaceMIRA, or “Miniaturized in vivo Robotic Assistant”, is a surgical robot that was sent to the International Space Station (ISS) on January 30, 2024. It is the first surgical robot on the space station in February 2024, six surgeons from the United States used hand and foot controls to test spaceMIRA in Virtual Incision’s offices, performing a remote-controlled surgery on rubber bands that mimic human tissues. The robot is about 30 inches long and weighs two pounds. 

SpaceMIRA’s success in space could indicate how useful it can be for health care facilities on the ground. 

A robotic tool built for space

The robot is only 2 pounds (0.9 kilogram), and its compact microwave-size design makes it a lightweight instrument fit for space travel. With a portion of the device inserted into the body to perform surgery, the tool uses two arms to mimic the movements of a human — the left arm to grasp and right arm to cut, said Shane Farritor, cofounder and chief technology officer at Virtual Incision, the startup that created spaceMIRA.

One of the challenges when attempting to control a robot in space from Earth is latency, or the time delay between when the command is sent and the robot receives it. The delay was about 0.85 of a second, said Dr. Michael Jobst, a colorectal surgeon who was part of the demonstration with spaceMIRA on Saturday

In a live patient, if there is bleeding, it’s my job to stop that bleeding immediately. But to have an 800 to 850 millisecond lag between seeing the blood loss and then doing something about it, I mean, effectively that’s like… saying, OK, one Mississippi, two, and then I get to go ahead and fix the problem,” said Jobst, who was one of the first surgeons to use the terrestrial MIRA on humans in clinical studies. He said he has performed a total of 15 operations on human patients with the terrestrial version of MIRA, which is an investigational device not available for sale.

“Five seconds would be an eternity in surgery, and a split second or a half a second is going to be significant. So, this was a big challenge,” Jobst said. Even with the noticeable time delay, the surgeons succeeded in completing the tasks, he said

SpaceMIRA is set to return to Earth in the spring.

“NASA wants to go further, and the long duration spaceflight will place new demands on medical care in a lot of ways,” said Farritor, who is also a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska. “There’s a lot of questions that have yet to be answered here. … We just wanted to show what’s possible, and we think it’s a really good step in the right direction

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