title: Robotics in urological surgery: review of current status and maneuverability, and comparison of robot-assisted and traditional laparoscopy.
abstract: To assess the current state of robot-assisted urological surgery, the literature concerning surgical robotic systems, surgical telemanipulators and laparoscopic systems was reviewed. Aspects of these systems pertaining to maneuverability were evaluated, with a view to quantifying their stability and locomotive properties and thereby determining their suitability for use in assisted laparoscopic procedures, particularly robot-assisted laparoscopic urological surgery. The degree of maneuverability and versatility of a robotic system determine its utility in the operating room, and the newer-generation surgical robotic systems have been found to possess a higher degree of maneuverability than older class 1 and class 2 systems. It is now clearly established that robots have an important place in the urologist's armamentarium for minimally invasive surgery; however, the long-term outcomes of several urological procedures (other than robot-assisted radical prostatectomy) performed with the da Vinci surgical robotic system have yet to be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi, Delhi, India. iqbalsinghp@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: Iqbal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D015653:Cystectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009392:Nephrectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013520:Urologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods