Louisiana Surgeon Uses Medical Robot to Peel Crawfish

LAKE CHARLES, La. - In what could be called "The Most Louisiana Thing To Happen So Far This Crawfish Season", a Lake Charles surgeon recently demonstrated the precision of a surgical robot by using it to peel a crawfish.

This could very well be the most perfect blend of Louisiana culture with cutting-edge medical innovation we've ever seen, or that has ever happened.

Youtube Via KPLC 7 News

A Surgical Robot Takes on Crawfish Season

Crawfish season in Louisiana usually means messy tables, spicy boil pots, and plenty of hands-on peeling. But one Louisiana surgeon recently demonstrated a very different approach, using advanced medical technology to peel a crawfish with surgical precision...literally.

At CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital in Lake Charles, general surgeon Dr. Justin Rudd decided to test the precision of a sophisticated robotic surgical system in a uniquely Louisiana way. Instead of performing a traditional surgical task, the team used the robot to peel a boiled crawfish.

Dr. Rudd tells fox8live.com -

"Peeling crawfish for the first time. Usually it’s gallbladders, and hernias, and more of the usual."

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Before you say "I sure hope he doesn't operate on anyone with that machine" out loud, Dr. Rudd says the machine used to peel the crawfish, the Da Vinci 5, is only used for training and never operates on live patients.

Although the machine is typically used for delicate operations involving the chest and abdomen, the crawfish experiment provided a fun way to show just how precise the technology can be.

Youtube Via KPLC 7 News

How Robotic Surgery Systems Work

Dr. Rudd explained that the system provides a high-definition 4K, three-dimensional view. The robotic tools can replicate a surgeon’s hand motions while filtering out natural hand tremors, making delicate procedures safer and more controlled.

As you'll see in the video below, the Da Vinci 5 does quite a fine job of peeling a boiled crawfish.