title: Robotic hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: a cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Robotic surgery has emerged as one of the most promising surgical advances since its launch at the turn of the millennium. Despite its worldwide acceptance in many different surgical specialties, the use of robotic assistance in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic (HBP) surgery remains relatively unexplored. This article aims to evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of robotic HBP surgery in a single surgical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between May 2009 and December 2010, all patients admitted to our unit for robotic HBP surgery were evaluated. A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database on clinical outcomes was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 55 robotic HBP operations performed during the study period. There were 27 robotic liver resections (left lateral sectionectomies n = 17, left hepatectomy n = 1, other segmentectomies n = 2 and wedge resections n = 7), 12 robotic pancreatic procedures (Whipple's operations n = 8, spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomies n = 2, double bypass n = 1 and cystojejunostomy n = 1) and 16 biliary procedures (biliary enteric bypass n = 9, bile duct exploration and related procedures n = 7). The median postoperative hospital stays for robotic liver resections, biliary procedures and pancreatic operations were 5.5 days (range 3-11 days), 6 days (range 4-11 days) and 12 days (range 6-21 days), respectively. Morbidities for liver resection, biliary procedures and pancreatic operations were 7.4, 18 and 33%, respectively. There was no mortality in our series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Robotic surgery is feasible and can be safely performed in patients with complicated HBP pathologies. Further evaluation with clinical trials is required to validate its real benefits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, 3, Lok Man Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. olivercychan@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Oliver C Y
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Chung Ngai
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Eric C H
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: George P C
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Michael K W
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001660:Biliary Tract Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D002768:Choledochostomy / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome