Complications of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Abstract

Robotic surgery represents a shift in the surgical paradigm and is consequently associated with a unique set of challenges and complications in comparison to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. For the first time, the surgeon is not directly at the bedside but is rather directing an intermediary machine and a separate bedside team to perform the operation. This, in addition to the lack of tactile feedback, the greater reliance on visual anatomic clues when performing robotic surgery, and the inherent risk of malfunction or mechanical failure of robotic components may all contribute to complications noted during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). In this chapter, we outline the risks and incidence of the more common complications associated with RARP and present methods to manage them.