Robotics and infertility

Abstract

Surgery in the field of reproduction has traditionally been taught utilizing tradition laparotomy incision. The advantages of the laparotomy approach include depth perception and tactile feedback from the resistance of tissue/organ dynamics. In addition, there is an ease of intraabdominal suturing from the six degrees of freedom afforded from the human wrist. Although a laparotomy is advantageous for the surgeon compared to other surgical techniques, there are disadvantages for the patient, including a large abdominal incision, prolonged hospitalization, increased postoperative analgesic requirements, and increased morbidity.1,2 This has led some surgeons to seek out minimally invasive approaches. The first laparoscopy was described by Ott from Petrograd, who inspected the abdominal cavity using a head mirror and an abdominal wall speculum in 1901, calling the procedure ventroscopy. 3 However, it was the first International Symposium of Gynecologic Endoscopy in 1964 that initiated interest in laparoscopic tubal sterilization,4 gamete intrafallopian tubal transfer,5 and other laparoscopic gynecologic procedures in the ensuing four decades. 6 © 2007 Springer-Verlag London Limited.