title: Robotic splenectomy: what is the real benefit?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The laparoscopic approach to a difficult splenectomy requires a longer total operative time and is frequently associated with an increased risk of bleeding and a high conversion rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 418 elective splenectomies were registered in the Department of General Surgery and Liver Transplantation of Fundeni Clinical Institute between January 1995 and June 2012, of which 299 splenectomies (212 laparoscopic and 77 robotic) were performed by a single surgical team and retrospectively documented. The effect of the learning curve and the relative complexity of each type of procedure were analyzed using the Minimally Invasive Splenectomy Score, which further allowed categorizing the splenectomies as simple or difficult. Statistical analyses using the CUSUM algorithm of the intra- and postoperative parameters of the laparoscopic and robotic approaches, for both the simple and the difficult splenectomies, were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the statistical analyses clearly indicated that there was a learning curve effect for laparoscopic splenectomy but not for robotic splenectomy. When compared with the laparoscopic approach in difficult splenectomies, the robotic approach had a shorter total operative time (84.13 vs. 97.2 min), less blood loss (30.88 vs. 156.9 ml), and decreased risk of hemorrhagic complications during surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laparoscopic splenectomy remains the approach of choice for simple splenectomies in the surgical treatment for common indications. The robotic system is particularly beneficial in difficult splenectomies (i.e., partial splenectomy, splenectomy in liver cirrhosis, splenic tumors, or malignant hemopathies).
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Fundeni Clinical Institute, Bucharest, Romania.
authors.forename: Dana-Elena
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Giza
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tudor
authors.forename: Raluca Roxana
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Purnichescu-Purtan
authors.forename: Catalin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vasilescu
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects; D059032:Learning Curve; D061646:Operative Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome