Robotic-assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery with the da Vinci system: a 4-year experience in a single institution.

PURPOSE: We set up a pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of telerobotic surgery using the da Vinci system for several procedures for which traditional laparoscopy (or thoracoscopy) is a standard approach in a single institution.

METHODS: We performed fundoplications (hiatal hernia repair and antireflux surgery, n=112), upside-down stomach (14), cholecystectomy (16), gastric banding (3), colectomy (5), esophagectomy (4), sub/total gastrectomy (2), gastrojejunostomy (2), along with thymectomy (100), thoracic symatectomy (11), lobectomy (5), mediastinal parathyroidectomy (5), and left pancreatic resection (1).

RESULTS: The median set up time for all procedures was reduced from 25.0 to 10.4 minutes. Conversion to traditional laparoscopy or thoracoscopy occurred in 12 cases and in open surgery in 11 cases. There was no morbidity related to the telerobotic system.

CONCLUSIONS: Robotically assisted laparoscopic and thoracoscopic surgery is feasible and safe for a variety of procedures in general, visceral, and thoracic surgery.