The da Vinci system has three main components that work in coordination:

• A robotic unit with four arms sits beside the operating table. The arms – one holding a miniature camera, the others miniaturized instruments – are inserted into the surgery site through keyhole incisions.
• A console, where the surgeon sits a few feet away, enabling the surgeon to control the arms using hand controls and foot pedals.
• A high-definition, 3D screen, which lets the surgeon view the procedure with magnification 10 times that of the naked eye.

Although the system uses advanced robotics, the arms can’t make any type of independent movement or maneuver without the direct input of the surgeon.  What the system does do, however, is enhance and refine the surgeon’s movements, making it possible to perform meticulous dissections in tiny, hard to reach areas in the body.