Robot-enhanced fetoscopic surgery.
BACKGROUND
Fetoscopic surgery carries with it less maternal morbidity than open fetal surgery. Robotic surgery facilitates endoscopic surgery through tremor filtration, motion scaling, indexed movement, articulation, and improved ergonomics. The goal of the authors was to explore using a robotic surgery platform in a fetal animal model.


METHODS
Using the Zeus Robotic Surgery System (Computer Motion, Santa Barbara, CA), fetoscopic surgery in pregnant sheep was performed using a variety of techniques: uterus exteriorized or totally percutaneous and with liquid or gas insufflation. Using the percutaneous technique and gas insufflation, the authors created and sutured fetal skin and fascial defects. The ewes were recovered and killed 2 weeks postoperatively, and autopsies were performed on them and their fetuses.


RESULTS
In the exteriorized uterus model, instrument movement was unpredictable and fluid leaked. In the fluid environment, clouding of the visual field and difficulty in immobilizing the fetus were major difficulties. In the survival model, 4 of the 6 fetuses survived to autopsy at 2 weeks and showed good healing grossly and histologically.


CONCLUSIONS
The Zeus Robotic Surgery System can be used for fetoscopic surgery in a sheep model. The percutaneous approach with a nitrous oxide environment is the most effective. Advantages of robotic surgery may be applicable in fetoscopic surgery, but further work in a primate model is required.
Maxine and Stuart Frankel Foundation Computer-Assisted Robot-Enhanced Surgery Program, the Children's Research Center of Michigan, Detroit, MI, USA.
Colin G
CG
Knight
Attila
A
Lorincz
Anthony
A
Johnson
Kelly
K
Gidell
Rajah
R
Rabah
Michael D
MD
Klein
Scott E
SE
Langenburg
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005332:Fetoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007327:Insufflation / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D011247:Pregnancy; D012371:Robotics; D012756:Sheep