Robot-assisted adrenalectomy:Step-by-step technique and surgical outcomes at a high-volume robotic center

Objective In the last years,robotic surgery was introduced in several different settings with good perioperative results.However,its role in the management of adrenal masses is still debated.In order to provide a contribution to this field,we described our step-by-step technique for robotic adrenalectomy(RA)and related modifications according to the type of adrenal mass treated.Methods We retrospectively analyzed 27 consecutive patients who underwent RA at Onze-Lieve-Vrouw hospital(Aalst,Belgium)between January 2009 and October 2022.Demographic,intra-and post-operative,and pathological data were retrieved from our prospectively maintained institutional database.Continuous variables are summarized as median and interquartile range(IQR).Categorical variables are reported as frequencies(percentages).Results Twenty-seven patients underwent RA were included in the study.Median age,body mass index,and Charlson's comorbidity index were 61(IQR:49-71)years,26(IQR:24-29)kg/m^(2),and 2(IQR:0-3),respectively,and 16(59.3%)patients were male.Median tumor size at computed tomography scan was 6.0(IQR:3.5-8.0)cm.Median operative time and blood loss were 105(IQR:82-120)min and 175(IQR:94-250)mL,respectively.No intraoperative complications were recorded.Overall postoperative complications rate was 11.1%,with a postoperative transfusion rate of 3.7%.A total of 10(37.0%)patients harbored malignant adrenal masses.Among them,3(11.1%)had adrenocortical carcinoma,6(22.2%)secondary metastasis,and 1(3.7%)malignant pheochromocytoma on final pathological exam.Only 1(10.0%)patient had positive surgical margins.Conclusion We described our step-by-step technique for RA,which can be safely performed even in case of high challenging settings as malignant tumors,pheochromocytoma,and large masses.The standardization of perioperative protocol should be encouraged to maximize the outcomes of this complex surgical procedure.

Robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for sporadic benign insulinoma:Short-and long-term outcomes

Background:Minimally invasive surgery is the optimal treatment for insulinoma.The present study aimed to compare short-and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic surgery for sporadic benign insulinoma.Methods:A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic surgery for insulinoma at our center between September 2007 and December 2019 was conducted.The demographic,perioperative and postoperative follow-up results were compared between the laparoscopic and robotic groups.Results:A total of 85 patients were enrolled,including 36 with laparoscopic approach and 49 with robotic approach.Enucleation was the preferred surgical procedure.Fifty-nine patients(69.4%)underwent enucleation;among them,26 and 33 patients underwent laparoscopic and robotic surgery,respectively.Robotic enucleation had a lower conversion rate to laparotomy(0 vs.19.2%,P=0.013),shorter operative time(102.0 vs.145.5 min,P=0.008)and shorter postoperative hospital stay(6.0 vs.8.5 d,P=0.002)than laparoscopic enucleation.There were no differences between the groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss,the rates of postoperative pancreatic fistula and complications.After a median follow-up of 65 months,two patients in the laparoscopic group developed a functional recurrence and none of the patients in the robotic group had a recurrence.Conclusions:Robotic enucleation can reduce the conversion rate to laparotomy and shorten operative time,which might lead to a reduction in postoperative hospital stay.

Robotic surgical systems in maxillofacial surgery:a review

Throughout the twenty-first century, robotic surgery has been used in multiple oral surgical procedures for the treatment of head and neck tumors and non-malignant diseases. With the assistance of robotic surgical systems, maxillofacial surgery is performed with less blood loss, fewer complications, shorter hospitalization and better cosmetic results than standard open surgery.However, the application of robotic surgery techniques to the treatment of head and neck diseases remains in an experimental stage, and the long-lasting effects on surgical morbidity, oncologic control and quality of life are yet to be established. More well-designed studies are needed before this approach can be recommended as a standard treatment paradigm. Nonetheless,robotic surgical systems will inevitably be extended to maxillofacial surgery. This article reviews the current clinical applications of robotic surgery in the head and neck region and highlights the benefits and limitations of current robotic surgical systems.

Evolutions and Future Directions of Surgical Robotics: A Review

Although the robotics firstly appeared as an entertainment form, its capabilities have continuously advanced from the world’s first industrial robot to the surgical robotic systems which are today capable of performing many surgical maneuvers unaided. However, these surgical robots are not autonomous systems;they are designed to complete a surgeon’s abilities and converting surgeon’s movements into incredibly steady and accurate robotic movements that finally manipulate surgical instruments to assist delicate operations. This novel type of surgery is carried out in the form of minimally invasive surgical procedure and has offered valuable alternatives to enhance traditional open surgery approach. Although the surgical robotic systems began as external robots, technological progresses are directing the surgical robotic systems to endoluminal robots which consist of doing surgical maneuvers by navigating of robot through lumens of human body. Here, we will briefly review different applications of robotic systems in various fields of medicine. Then, we will discuss minimally invasive surgical systems and their role in progressing of minimally invasive surgery as a modern surgery method. By thoroughly investigating a considerable amount of published materials about the minimally invasive surgical technologies, we will study the recent research activities and commercially available samples of surgical robotic systems.

Spondylodiscitis, epidural abscess, and meningitis after transoral robotic surgical resection of a squamous cell carcinoma of the posterior pharyngeal wall

Transoral robotic surgery(TORS)is a minimally invasive technique for resection of tumors of the posterior pharyngeal wall.Rarely,post-TORS cervical spondylodiscitis has been reported in the literature,with high morbidity and mortality.A 64-year-old female with underlying cervical disk disease underwent TORS resection of a posterior pharyngeal wall carcinoma without reconstruction in April 2020.Roughly one month post-operatively,the patient presented with clinical and radiographic signs of spondylodiscitis,epidural abscess,and meningitis.The patient was treated with antibiotic therapy and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.The patient recovered without neurologic deficit.A three-month post-treatment PET-CT scan showed no evidence of residual disease.Post-operative cervical spondylodiscitis and meningitis are rare complications of TORS resection for posterior pharyngeal wall carcinomas,but the risk is increased in patients with underlying cervical disk disease.In such patients,perioperative antibiotic treatment and/or reconstruction should be considered to prevent neurologic complications and death.

Does robotic surgical staging of endometrial cancer compromise outcomes?

Objective: To compare intra-operative and post-operative complications as well as recurrence in women withendometrial cancer undergoing surgical stagingwith robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy (RALH)versus total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 416 patients who underwent surgical staging for endometrial adenocarcinoma from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010. Demographics,intraand post-operative complications, surgical-pathologic data, subsequent treatments, and recurrence were compared in women treated with TAH versus RALH. A Student’st-test, Mann Whitney U analysis, or chi-squared analysis were used for statistical analysis. Results: One hundred thirty seven and 279 patients underwent TAH and RALH, respectively. Post-operative complications were lower in the RALH group (16.8% vs 8.2%, p = 0.009) and mean hospital stay for the TAH group versus the RALH group was 3 days versus 1 day (p < 0.001). Demographics and intra-operative complications were similar (p = 0.94). Uterine weight (108 gvs103 g, p = 0.36), pelvic lymph nodes retrieved (9 vs 9, p = 0.18), and presence of lymph-vascular involvement (11.7% vs 10.8%, p = 0.38) were similar between groups, as were aggressive histologic subtypes (p = 0.52) and grade (p = 0.15). Recurrence occurred in 4.4% of the TAH group and 4.3% of the RALH group (p = 0.97) with death from disease occurring in 1.5% of the TAH group and 2.2% of the RALH group (p = 0.64). Conclusions: RALH for endometrial adenocarcinoma is associated with fewer post-operative complications and a shorter hospital stay than TAH. Recurrence and death due to disease are not compromised by this minimally invasive approach.

Single-port transperitoneal robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (spRALP): Initial experience

Objective:To assess the feasibility of single-port transperitoneal robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy(spRALP)and discuss its surgical technique.Methods:A 60-year-old male was admitted with an elevated prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level of 13.89 ng/mL and confirmed with prostate cancer on biopsy showing three of 22 positive cores with a Gleason score of 3þ4=7.Multiparametric magnetic resonance(MR)and bone scintigraphy showed organ-confined disease.spRALP was performed using da Vinci Si HD surgical system,with access of a quadri-channel laparoscopic port placed supraumbilically.Two drainage tubes were placed before wound closure.The surgical procedure was largely in consistence with a conventional robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.Results:The surgery was successfully carried out with a duration of 152 min and an estimated blood loss of 100 mL.The patient was discharged on postoperative Day 4 after removal of both pelvic drainage tubes.Foley catheter was removed on postoperative Day 14.No major complications were encountered.Postoperative pathology showed a Gleason score of 3þ4=7 with no extraprostatic extension and negative surgical margins.Conclusion:Single-port robotic prostatectomy is feasible using the currently available robotic instruments in most Chinese robotic urological centers.Meticulous preoperative planning and careful patient selection are mandatory.Further studies concerning perioperative complications and pentafecta outcome compared with the conventional multi-port robotic prostatectomy is required.

Initial experience of laparoendoscopic single-site radical prostatectomy with a novel purpose-built robotic system

Objective This prospective single-arm clinical trial aimed to evaluated the feasibility and safety of the application of the SHURUI system(Beijing Surgerii Technology Co.,Ltd.,Beijing,China),a novel purpose-built robotic system,in single-port robotic radical prostatectomy.Methods Sixteen patients diagnosed with prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled in and underwent robotic radical prostatectomy from October 2021 to August 2022 by the SHURUI single-port robotic surgical system.The demographic and baseline data,surgical,oncological,and functional outcomes as well as follow-up data were recorded.Results The mean operative time was 226.3(standard deviation[SD]52.0)min,and the mean console time was 183.4(SD 48.3)min,with the mean estimated blood loss of 116.3(SD 90.0)mL.The mean length of postoperative hospital stay was 4.50(SD 0.97)days.Two patients had postoperative complications(Clavien-Dindo Grade II),and both patients improved after conservative treatment.All patients’postoperative prostate-specific antigen levels decreased to below 0.2 ng/mL 1 month after discharge.The mean prostate-specific antigen level further decreased to a mean of 0.0219(SD 0.0641)ng/mL 6 months after surgery.Thirty days postoperatively,12 out of 16 patients reported using no more than one urinary pad per day,and all patients reported satisfactory urinary control without the need for pads 6 months after surgery.Conclusion The SHURUI system is safe and feasible in performing radical prostatectomy via both transperitoneal and extraperitoneal approaches.Tumor control and urinary continence were satisfying for patients enrolled in.The next phase involves conducting a large-scale,multicenter randomized controlled trial to thoroughly assess the effectiveness and safety of the new technology in a broader population.

Robotic surgery for multi-visceral resection in locally advanced colorectal cancer:Techniques,benefits and future directions

Colorectal cancer accounts for 10%of diagnosed cancers globally and often presents as advanced disease,necessitating aggressive treatment.With both younger and healthier elderly patients being diagnosed,as well as potentially the need for salvage therapy post total neoadjuvant treatment,surgical options for cure include pelvic exenteration.Whilst typically performed via an open approach,there has been an increased utilisation of minimally invasive techniques including robotic surgery.Offering smaller in-cisions,reduced postoperative pain,and quicker recovery time than open surgery,robotic techniques have demonstrated lower blood loss,shorter hospital stays,and reduced morbidity.Moreover,the er-gonomic design of robotic systems provides surgeons with comfort during long procedures and increased precision.It also offers an increased opportunity for organ preservation and reconstruction whilst maintaining adequate oncological outcomes.As robotic technology continues to evolve and combines with artificial intelligence,it is poised to play an even more significant role in the management of complex colorectal cancer cases,improving survival and long-term outcomes.

Method for Latency Measurement of Visual Feedback-Based Master–Slave Minimally Invasive Surgical Robot

To measure the latency between human motion stimulation and stereo image display response in a visual feedback-based minimally invasive surgical(MIS) robotic system,a method was proposed by comparing the orientations of input and output events through image-processing technology. This method used a black bar to keep pace with the measured joint rotating at a number of speeds. During tests,an external camera was placed in front of the apparatus with a proper visual field,so that it can simultaneously view orientations of both bars fixed on the corresponding joints. After quantitatively analyzing the accuracy of the proposed measurement method,the method was applied to a visual feedback-based master–slave robotic system with two-degrees-of-freedom. Experimental results show that the latency of the overall system was approximately 250 ms,and the opposite clearance of the measured joint was in the range of 1.7°–1.9°.

The robot-assisted ureteral reconstruction in adult:A narrative review on the surgical techniques and contemporary outcomes

Despite the rapid increase in the use of robotic surgery in urology,the majority of ureteric reconstruction procedures are still performed using laparoscopic or open approaches.This is primarily due to uncertainty regarding the advantages of robotic approaches over conventional ones,and the unique difficulty in identifying the specific area of interest due to the lack of tactile feedback from the current robotic systems.However,with the potential benefits of minimal invasiveness,several pioneering reports have been published on robotic surgery in urology.By reviewing the literature on this topic,we aimed to summarize the techniques,considerations,and consistent findings regarding robotic ureteral reconstruction in adults.Robotic applications for ureteral surgery have been primarily reported for pediatric urology,especially in the context of relieving a congenital obstruction in the ureteral pelvic junction.However,contemporary studies have also consistently demonstrated that robotic surgery could be a reliable option for malignant,iatrogenic,and traumatic conditions,which generally occur in adult patients.Nevertheless,the lack of comparative studies on heterogeneous hosts and disease conditions make it difficult to determine the benefit of the robotic approach over the conventional approach in the general population;thus,qualified prospective trials are needed for wider acceptance.However,contemporary reports have demonstrated that the robotic approach could be an alternative option for ureteral construction,even in the absence of haptic feedback,which can be compensated by various surgical techniques and enhanced three-dimensional visualization.

Least Squares Support Vector Machine Kalman Filter for Physiological Tremor Suppression in Minimally Invasive Surgical Robot

This paper studies the physiological tremor filtering in minimally invasive surgical robot.The surgeon􀆳s physiological tremor of the hand can cause the vibration of the tip of the surgical instrument,which may reduce operative accuracy and limit the application of surgical robots.Aiming at the vibration caused by physiological tremor of hand,we propose a Least Squares Support Vector Machine Kalman Filter(LSSVMKF),which can filter the tremor by estimating and modeling the tremor signal by Kalman filter and then superimposing it reversely in the control signal.When estimating and modeling the tremor signal,the filter uses the Least Squares Support Vector Machine(LS⁃SVM)to build the regression model of the constant parameters(Process Noise Covariance and Measurement Noise Covariance)of the traditional Kalman filter,which can dynamically adjust these parameters during the operation and improve the accuracy of Kalman filter.The simulation results show that the LSSVMKF can effectively filter out the tremor signal,thereby improving the accuracy of surgery.

Impact of the Rapid Recovery Concept on Complications and Patient Quality of Life in the Perioperative Nursing of Robot-Assisted Radical Oesophageal Cancer

Aim: This study evaluates the impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) nursing on postoperative complications and quality of life in patients undergoing robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE). Methods: A total of 150 patients who underwent RAMIE from January 2020 to January 2022 at our hospital were randomly assigned to either the observation group or the control group, with 75 patients in each. The control group received standard perioperative management and nursing care, while the observation group was treated with ERAS nursing strategies. Interventions continued until discharge, and outcomes such as postoperative complications, quality of life, and nutritional status were compared between the groups. Results: The observation group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of postoperative adverse reactions compared to the control group (P ionally, all dimension scores of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), including the total score, were higher in the observation group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) scores for impaired nutritional status and disease severity, along with the total NRS score, were significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group (P Conclusion: Implementing ERAS nursing in the perioperative care of patients undergoing RAMIE is associated with reduced postoperative complications and enhanced postoperative quality of life and nutritional status. .

Non-robotic minimally invasive gastrectomy as an independent risk factor for postoperative intra-abdominal infectious complications: A single-center, retrospective and propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer(GC) has gained widespread use as a safe curative procedure especially for early GC.AIM To determine risk factors for postoperative complications after minimally invasive gastrectomy for GC.METHODS Between January 2009 and June 2019, 1716 consecutive patients were referred to our division for primary GC. Among them, 1401 patients who were diagnosed with both clinical and pathological Stage Ⅲ or lower GC and underwent robotic gastrectomy(RG) or laparoscopic gastrectomy(LG) were enrolled. Retrospective chart review and multivariate analysis were performed for identifying risk factors for postoperative morbidity.RESULTS Morbidity following minimally invasive gastrectomy was observed in 7.5% of the patients. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that non-robotic minimally invasive surgery, male gender, and an operative time of ≥ 360 min were significant independent risk factors for morbidity. Therefore, morbidity was compared between RG and LG. Accordingly, propensity-matched cohort analysis revealed that the RG group had significantly fewer intra-abdominal infectious complications than the LG group(2.5% vs 5.9%, respectively;P = 0.038), while no significant differences were noted for other local or systemic complications.Multivariate analyses of the propensity-matched cohort revealed that non-robotic minimally invasive surgery [odds ratio = 2.463(1.070–5.682);P = 0.034] was a significant independent risk factor for intra-abdominal infectious complications.CONCLUSION The findings showed that robotic surgery might improve short-term outcomes following minimally invasive radical gastrectomy by reducing intra-abdominal infectious complications.

Critical analysis of the literature investigating urogenital function preservation following robotic rectal cancer surgery

AIM To analyses the current literature regarding the urogenital functional outcomes of patients receiving robotic rectal cancer surgery. METHODS A comprehensive literature search of electronic databases was performed in October 2015. The following search terms were applied: "rectal cancer" or "colorectal cancer" and robot* or "da Vinci" and sexual or urolog* or urinary or erect* or ejaculat* or impot* or incontinence. All original studies examining the urological and/or sexual outcomes of male and/or female patients receiving robotic rectal cancer surgery were included. Reference lists of all retrieved articles were manually searched for further relevant articles. Abstracts were independently searched by two authors. RESULTS Fifteen original studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. A total of 1338 patients were included; 818 received robotic, 498 laparoscopic and 22 open rectal cancer surgery. Only 726(54%) patients had their urogenital function assessed via means of validated functional questionnaires. From the included studies, three found that robotic rectal cancer surgery leads to quicker recovery of male urological function and five of male sexual function as compared to laparoscopic surgery. It is unclear whether robotic surgery offers favourable urogenital outcomes in the long run for males. In female patients only two studies assessed urological and threesexual function independently to that of males. In these studies there was no difference identified between patients receiving robotic and laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. However, in females the presented evidence was very limited making it impossible to draw any substantial conclusions. CONCLUSION There seems to be a trend towards earlier recovery of male urogenital function following robotic surgery. To evaluate this further, larger well designed studies are required.

Techniques to resect the distal ureter in robotic/laparoscopic nephroureterectomy

Treatment of clinically-organ confined high grade urothelial carcinoma of the upper tract has historically comprised open nephroureterectomy,with the distal ureter and bladder cuff mobilized through a separate open pelvic incision.To decrease morbidity,urologists have increasingly adopted laparoscopy and robotics in performing nephroureterectomy.In many published series of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy,the distal ureter and bladder cuff are detached from the bladder endoscopically by a variation of the“pluck”technique,with the resulting bladder defect left to heal by prolonged indwelling urethral catheter drainage.While the distal ureter and bladder cuff can be excised laparoscopically,it does require advanced laparoscopic skills.With the wrist articulation and stereoscopic vision in robotic surgery,robotic nephroureterectomy(RNU)and bladder cuff excision can be performed in antegrade fashion to mimic the open technique together with the ability to intracorporeally close the bladder defect in a watertight,mucosa to mucosa fashion after excising the bladder cuff.In this review,we discuss the published minimally invasive techniques in resecting the distal ureter and bladder cuff during laparoscopic and RNU.

Adult metaplastic hutch diverticulum with robotic-assisted diverticulectomy and reconstruction:A case report

BACKGROUND Hutch diverticulum arises from the compromised muscular development at the ureteral orifice.It is a congenital disease and extremely rare in adult,only accounting for about 3%occurrence worldwide.It can be either symptomatic or asymptomatic,and relies on image tools for diagnosis and preoperative planning.Indications for surgery are dependent on the complications from the diverticulum.Metaplasia is about 10%among those with hutch diverticulum,and it still has chances turning into malignancy,especially urothelial cell carcinoma.CASE SUMMARY A 27-year-old man was presented with frequently recurrent urinary tract infection for one year,and had suffered from intermittent right flank pain for 3 mo.No past medical histories were recorded before.No obvious abnormalities on laboratory data and urine examination were found.Under ultrasound,right hydronephrosis was seen and an anatomical abnormality was observed on intravenous pyelography.Further computed tomography urogram showed one diverticulum seated at superolateral side of right ureteral orifice.Cystoscopy was done and biopsy results showed focal metaplasia.After discussing with him,roboticassisted diverticulectomy with reconstruction was performed.Right hydronephrosis was greatly improved after surgery.He has completed his 1.5-year follow-ups,and no malignancies were seen from urine cytology and image of intravenous pyelography.CONCLUSION Robotic-assisted diverticulectomy and reconstruction to hutch diverticulum is a safe and efficient operation,providing several advantages over open and laparoscopic ones.

Robotic surgery for rectal cancer: Current immediate clinical and oncological outcomes

Laparoscopic rectal surgery continues to be a challenging operation associated to a steep learning curve. Robotic surgical systems have dramatically changed minimally invasive surgery. Three-dimensional, magnified and stable view, articulated instruments, and reduction of physiologic tremors leading to superior dexterity and ergonomics. Therefore, robotic platforms could potentially address limitations of laparoscopic rectal surgery. It was aimed at reviewing current literature on short-term clinical and oncological(pathological) outcomes after robotic rectal cancer surgery in comparison with laparoscopic surgery. A systematic review was performed for the period 2002 to 2014. A total of 1776 patients with rectal cancer underwent minimally invasive robotic treatment in 32 studies. After robotic and laparoscopic approach to oncologic rectal surgery, respectively, mean operating time varied from 192-385 min, and from 158-297 min; mean estimated blood loss was between 33 and 283 mL, and between 127 and 300 mL; mean length of stay varied from 4-10 d; and from 6-15 d. Conversion after robotic rectal surgery varied from 0% to 9.4%, and from 0 to 22% after laparoscopy. There was no difference between robotic(0%-41.3%) and laparoscopic(5.5%-29.3%) surgery regarding morbidity and anastomotic complications(respectively, 0%-13.5%, and 0%-11.1%). Regarding immediate oncologic outcomes, respectively among robotic and laparoscopic cases, positive circumferential margins varied from 0% to 7.5%, and from 0% to 8.8%; the mean number of retrieved lymph nodes was between 10 and 20, and between 11 and 21; and the mean distal resection margin was from 0.8 to 4.7 cm, and from 1.9 to 4.5 cm. Robotic rectal cancer surgery is being undertaken by experienced surgeons. However, the quality of the assembled evidence does not support definite conclusions about most studies variables. Robotic rectal cancer surgery is associated to increased costs and operating time. It also seems to be associated to reduced conversion rates. Other short-term outcomes are comparable to conventional laparoscopy techniques, if not better. Ultimately, pathological data evaluation suggests that oncologic safety may be preserved after robotic total mesorectal excision. However, further studies are required to evaluate oncologic safety and functional results.

A Novel Tele-Operated Flexible Robot Targeted for Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

In this paper, a novel flexible robot system with a constrained tendon-driven serpentine manipulator(CTSM) is presented. The CTSM gives the robot a larger workspace, more dexterous manipulation, and controllable stiffness compared with the da Vinci surgical robot and traditional flexible robots. The robot is tele-operated using the Novint Falcon haptic device. Two control modes are implemented, direct mapping and incremental mode. In each mode, the robot can be manipulated using either the highest stiffness scheme or the minimal movement scheme. The advantages of the CTSM are shown by simulation and experimental results.

Robotic laparoendoscopic single-site surgery(R-LESS) ：current status in urology

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery(LESS)is technically challenging;it can reduces instrument triangulation and robust retraction and is associated with a steep learning curve.The instruments of the daVinci  surgical system(Intuitive Surgical)are designed with seven degrees of motion mimicing the dexterity of the human hand and wrist.This inherent feature of the robotic arm provides superior ergonomics when performing LESS,especially for complex reconstructive surgery.This review analyzes the evidence supporting current and future application of robotic technology in the field of urologic LESS.