Procedures and Tools Are Being Developed For Surgery on Deep Space Missions - Part 1 of 2 Parts

Procedures and Tools Are Being Developed For Surgery on Deep Space Missions - Part 1 of 2 Parts

Part 1 of 2 Parts
     Earlier this year, it was reported that an astronaut in orbit had developed a blood clot in his neck that was potentially life threatening. Doctors on Earth suggested a medication that solved the problem, so surgery was not necessary. Space agencies and private space companies have committed to landing human beings on the Moon and in Mars in the near future. There may come a time when it is necessary to carry out surgical procedures in space or on other bodies in the solar system such as Mars.
    Emergencies that require surgery are considered to be one of the main challenges when it comes to humans in space. Space researchers have been developing a varieties of ideas that could assist such surgeries from surgical robots to 3-D printers.
    When Mars is closest to Earth, it is still over thirty-four million miles away. For comparison, the International Space Station (ISS) in Earth orbit is only about two hundred and fifty miles from the surface. If a medical emergency develops in the ISS, the current procedure is to stabilize the patient and return them to Earth. Telecommunication between the ISS and the Earth provides support for this procedure. However, if there is an emergency on Mars, evacuation to Earth could take years and there is a telecommunication time lag of more than  twenty minutes between the Earth and Mars which would impede assistance from experts on Earth.
    The transit to and from Mar will include microgravity, high radiation levels and an enclosed pressurized cabin or suit. These factors are tough on the bodies of astronauts and take time for adaptation. We have already learned that space travel has an effect on the cells in astronauts’ bodies, blood pressure regulation and heart performance. It also affects the distribution of fluids in the human body and weakens muscles and bone. Considering surgery, an injured or ill astronaut would already have a physiological disadvantage.
    How likely is it that an astronaut would actually need surgery? For a crew of seven people, there have been estimates that there will be on average, one surgical emergency every two and half years during a Mars mission. The main probable causes of the need for surgery include injury, appendicitis, gallbladder inflammation or cancer.  When astronauts are selected, they receive extensive medical screening. However, surgical emergencies can occur in very health people and might be exacerbated in the extreme environment that exists in space.
     Surgery is microgravity has already been tested but not yet on humans. Astronauts have managed to repair the tails of rats and perform laparoscopy on animals while in microgravity. Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that can be used to perform examinations and repairs on the organs inside the abdomen. These experimental surgeries have already led to new innovations and improvements. Magnetized surgical tools have been developed that will stick to the operating table and restraints for the astronaut performing the procedures and the patient.
     One problem that has been found is that when the body cavity is opened, the intestines would float around, blocking complete view of the surgical field. One solution to this would be to opt for minimally invasive surgical techniques such as keyhole surgery. In this type of procedure, work is carried out through small incisions using a camera and instruments.
     A laparoscopy was recently carried out on a model of a human abdomen during a parabolic “zero gravity” flight in which surgeons were able to successfully stop traumatic bleeding. But the surgeons did warn that it would be psychologically difficult to carry out such a procedure on a crew mate on an actual space mission.
Please read Part 2 next