They say the drill produces fast, clean, and safe cuts, reducing the time the wound is open and the patient anaesthetized, which also decreases the chances of human error, as well as the cost of surgery.

In complex surgeries, especially cranial surgeries, surgeons typically use hand drills to make intricate openings, adding hours to a procedure.

Dr William Couldwell, neurosurgeon at University of Utah, she said: "It was like doing archaeology. We had to slowly take away the bone to avoid sensitive structures.

“We knew the technology was already available in the machine world, but no one ever applied it to medical applications."

Under the new system, patients will undergo CT scans to establish the exact location of sensitive structures such as nerves, major veins and arteries that must be avoided.