Robotic-assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery with the da Vinci system: a 4-year experience in a single institution.
OBJECTIVE
We set up a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of telerobotic surgery using the da Vinci system for several procedures for which traditional laparoscopy (or thoracoscopy) is a standard approach in a single institution.


METHODS
We performed fundoplications (hiatal hernia repair and antireflux surgery, n=112), upside-down stomach (14), cholecystectomy (16), gastric banding (3), colectomy (5), esophagectomy (4), sub/total gastrectomy (2), gastrojejunostomy (2), along with thymectomy (100), thoracic symatectomy (11), lobectomy (5), mediastinal parathyroidectomy (5), and left pancreatic resection (1).


RESULTS
The median set up time for all procedures was reduced from 25.0 to 10.4 minutes. Conversion to traditional laparoscopy or thoracoscopy occurred in 12 cases and in open surgery in 11 cases. There was no morbidity related to the telerobotic system.


CONCLUSIONS
Robotically assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery is feasible and safe for a variety of procedures in general, visceral, and thoracic surgery.
Braumann
Chris
C
Department of General, Visceral, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery, Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Charité Campus Mitte, Germany. chris.braumann@charite.de
Jacobi
Christoph A
CA
Menenakos
Charalambos
C
Ismail
Mahmoud
M
Rueckert
Jens C
JC
Mueller
Joachim M
JM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012371:Robotics; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome