Simplifying patient positioning and port placement during robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.
Proper patient positioning and port placement is of critical importance in robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP). Not having the patient in the correct Trendelenburg position or not being able to move the surgical instruments freely in the abdominal cavity can be frustrating, especially for naïve robotic surgeons (ie, those at the beginning of the learning curve for this procedure), and can lead to further difficulties in performing the intervention. We describe the use of a nautical inclinometer and a plastic, double-equilateral triangle with an 8-cm-long border to reach the correct Trendelenburg position easily and to place trocars correctly during RALP.
Cestari
Andrea
A
Department of Urology, Vita-Salute University, San Raffaele-Turro Hospital, Milan, Italy. a_cestari@yahoo.it
Buffi
Nicolò Maria
NM
Scapaticci
Emanuele
E
Lughezzani
Giovanni
G
Salonia
Andrea
A
Briganti
Alberto
A
Rigatti
Patrizio
P
Montorsi
Francesco
F
Guazzoni
Giorgio
G
D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D056888:Patient Positioning / Q000379:methods*; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*