Robotic Surgery Complications and Safety

As with any new surgical technology, feasibility, complications, and safety issues must be addressed in robotic-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) pediatric urologic surgeries. Complications can include those common to laparoscopy, those unique to robotic instrumentation, and procedure-specific complications. Although inevitable, complications can be minimized by meticulous technique and readiness. Although RAL pyeloplasty has been the most commonly reported procedure, pediatric urologic surgeons have also been successful in performing a variety of different operations. As the experience in RAL pediatric urologic surgery is still in its infancy, the number of reported cases per procedure remains low. These case reports and small patient series have demonstrated feasibility for procedures done with the robot. From these small data sets, the complication rates have been comparable to those in previously reported open and/or laparoscopic counterpart procedures. However, further experience will be needed to assess superiority and long-term patient safety.