A disabled doctor in Spain has performed surgery standing up for the first time ever thanks to innovative exoskeleton technology.
Faustino Afonso—a doctor, paralympic athlete and founder of Athletes Without Borders Association—was able to remain on his feet throughout the entire operation.
The revolutionary procedure took place on July 11 at the Doctor Aguiar Institute of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery in Tenerife, with Doctor Aguiar himself directing the operation. In a Facebook post, the institute described the event as "medical history."
The device, known as the "Archelis" exoskeleton, was originally designed by a team in Japan to support surgeons who are required to stand for long periods of time while performing surgery. However, this historic procedure has demonstrated the versatility of this revolutionary device and its potential role in supporting those with disabilities.
While the Archelis uses cutting edge technology, exoskeleton devices in general have been around for longer than you might think. Back in 1960, General Electric created a 1,500-pound machine to amplify human strength, with funding from the U.S. military. However, unsurprisingly, it was too heavy and large to operate properly and the project got dropped.
Through decades of development, the materials used for these suits have become lighter and the machines themselves have become more dexterous and flexible.
Exoskeletons have now been deployed for a range of applications, from military armor to sport to healthcare. They not only offer to restore limb function in people with disabilities, but they can also be used by able-bodied individuals to augment performance and support repetitive and physically demanding tasks.
Today, however, exoskeletons are still expensive and not widely available. The Archelis device used by Doctor Afonso on Tuesday was provided by the ONCE Foundation—a non-profit in Spain working to improve accessibility and quality of life for those with disabilities—to explore the potential of this technology in supporting individuals with disabilities in professional settings.
For Doctor Afonso, the trial has been a resounding success. According to local news outlet Diario de Avisos, he has always dreamed of becoming a surgeon, but was previously restricted from carrying out certain procedures due to his disability. Now, his surgical dreams have become a tangible reality.
"This operation, led by Dr. Juan Aguiar, has underlined the need to innovate and cooperate to achieve progress in terms of inclusion," the Dr. Aguiar Institute said in a Facebook post.
"We thank the ONCE Foundation for its commitment and Dr. Afonso for letting us live this moment with him."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
