The Surgical Robot: Applications and Advantages in General Surgery

Abstract

Abstract The field of General Surgery with its multiple sub‐specialties has experienced the pro‐ gression of minimally invasive procedures performed with the robotic technology since the last decade. The robotic applications are extensive and have contributed to the enrichment of the surgical sub‐specialties based on advantages such as increased surgeon control and autonomy, superior instrument dexterity and tissue handling, improved three‐dimensional visualization, wristed articulation, all of this despite the lack of haptic feedback. The sub‐specialties of Colorectal, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic, Gastric Oncologic, Bariatric, Foregut, Pediatric, Endocrine, and Hernia Surgery, in addi‐ tion to General Surgery as the principal specialty, have produced several high‐quality randomized controlled trials, meta‐analyses, prospective and retrospective series which have established, in many instances, superior results to those of laparoscopy, and at least non‐inferior outcomes over the years. From the first pioneer single‐surgeon experi‐ ences around the world to the most recent large trials, including the first Robotic General Surgery case series in an American community hospital not classified as a tertiary referral center, patients continue to benefit from this technology as surgeons engage in overcom‐ ing their learning curve and training their teams, involving their hospital administrators and working with the industry to perfect their techniques for the sake of their patients.