title: Feasibility of robotic inguinal hernia repair, a single-institution experience.
abstract: With the growth of the discipline of laparoscopic surgery, technology has been further developed to facilitate the performance of minimally invasive hernia repair. Most of the published literature regarding robotic inguinal hernia repair has been performed by urologists who have dealt with this entity in a concomitant way during radical prostatectomies. General surgeons, who perform the vast majority of inguinal herniorrhaphies worldwide, have yet to describe the role of robotic inguinal hernia repair. Here, we describe our initial experience and create the foundation for future research questions regarding robotic inguinal hernia repair.
  
  
  
  A retrospective chart review was performed in 78 patients who underwent robotic transabdominal preperitoneal TAPP inguinal hernia repair with a prosthetic mesh using the da Vinci platform (Intuitive Surgical Inc). Data collected included patient demographics, past medical history, previous surgeries, details related to the surgical procedure, perioperative outcomes and complications.
  
  
  
  A total of 123 hernias were repaired. Forty-five patients had bilateral robotic inguinal herniorrhaphies, and the mean age was 55.1 years (SD 15.1), with a mean BMI of 27.6 (SD 6.1). There were 71 male and 7 female patients. Surgical complications included hematoma in three patients (3.9 %), two seromas (2.6 %) and one superficial surgical site infection at a trocar site (1.3 %), which resolved with oral antibiotics. Chronic postoperative complications (>30 days post-surgery) included the persistence of hematomas in two patients (2.6 %). Same day discharge was achieved in 60 patients (76.9 %) with a mean length of stay of 8 h (SD 2.65). Neither mortality nor conversion to open surgery occurred.
  
  
  
  Our early experience has demonstrated that the robotic transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernia repair is a safe and versatile approach that allows the general surgeon to perform this procedure in more complex cases such as those involving incarcerated and/or recurrent hernias.
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA.
authors.forename: Jose E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Escobar Dominguez
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA.
authors.forename: Michael Gonzalez
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA.
authors.forename: Rupa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Seetharamaiah
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA.
authors.forename: Charan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Donkor
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rabaza
authors.affiliation: Baptist Health Medical Group - General Surgery, Baptist Health South Florida, 7800 SW 87th Av., Suite B210, Miami, FL, 33173, USA. anthonyg@baptisthealth.net.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D013526:Surgical Mesh
keywords: Robotic TAPP; Robotic hernia repair; Robotic hernioplasty; Robotic herniorrhaphy; Robotic inguinal hernia