The detachment, housed at Bagram Airfield, the sprawling military installation north of Kabul, has surgery bays and diagnostic tools to give the military's robot companions a second chance.

WSJ: In the Afghan War, a Little Robot Can Be a Soldier's Best Friend

Traditional heartburn surgery involves tiny incisions in the abdomen, through which surgical tools are inserted and a new valve is created that prevents stomach contents from rising up.

WSJ: New Surgical Option for Heartburn