title: Robotic general surgery experience: a gradual progress from simple to more complex procedures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Robotic surgery was introduced at our institution in 2003, and we used a progressive approach advancing from simple to more complex procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective chart review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cases included totalled 129. Set-up and operative times have improved over time and with experience. Conversion rates to standard laparoscopic or open techniques were 4.7% and 1.6%, respectively. Intraoperative complications (6.2%), blood loss and hospital stay were directly proportional to complexity. There were no mortalities and the postoperative complication rate (13.2%) was within accepted norms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that robot technology is presently most useful in cases tailored toward its advantages, i.e. those confined to a single space, those that require performance of complex tasks, and re-do procedures.
authors.affiliation: King Saud University and University Hospitals, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Naami
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Anjum
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldohayan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al-Khayal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alkharji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012371:Robotics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: da Vinci system; general surgery; operative experience; robotic; set-up