title: Telerobotic assisted laparoscopic surgery: initial laboratory and clinical experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility of telerobotic assisted surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a laboratory model, a cholecystectomy, splenectomy, and nephrectomy were performed by an inexperienced surgeon who was being mentored by an experienced surgeon stationed at a remote site. The remote surgeon controlled the laparoscopic camera by utilizing a telerobotic system. In patients, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, varix ligation, and bladder suspension were performed by an experienced team utilizing a robotic system controlled by an experienced surgeon from a remote site.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both the laboratory and clinical setting, all procedures were successfully completed without complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current technology is available to successfully allow for telerobotic assisted surgery.
authors.affiliation: Brady Urological Institute, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Kavoussi
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Partin
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bender
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Zenilman
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Satava
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D020706:Laparoscopes; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008026:Ligation / Q000379:methods; D008954:Models, Biological; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D013552:Swine; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000601:surgery; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*