Laparoscopic robot-assisted right adrenalectomy and left ovariectomy (case reports)

Abstract

Background: Laparoscopic robot-assisted surgery has been created to reduce the patient risk of inappropriate scope movements by an assistant and to perform operations quicker and with greater ease. The Authors report their experience in laparoscopic robot-assisted right adrenalectomy for Conn's syndrome and right ovariectomy for benign ovarian mass.

Material and methods: Case 1. CT scan: solid right adrenal mass (diam. 2 cm). An anterior transperitoneal approach was used to perform the right adrenalectomy. The surgeon was placed at the ventral side of the patient and robotic-device was placed at the backside.

Histology: adrenocortical adenoma (diam. 3 x 2.5 x 1.5 cm). Case 2. CT scan: left iliac mass (diam. 3.5 cm) with origin in the left ovary. The patient was positioned in the gynecological position. The surgeon was positioned on right side of the patient and robot-device on left side. Left ovariectomy was performed.

Histology: ovarian serous cyst.

Results: Operating time was 180 min. for the adrenalectomy and 25 min. for the ovariectomy. No blood loss or complications for both operations were encountered. Image was steady and lens cleaning was unnecessary.

Conclusions: The robot device (AESOP 2000) facilitated the procedures by enhancing stability of the image and reducing the need for lens cleaning. We believe that this method is feasible and could be advantageous especially for cholecystectomy, Nissen funduplication or ovariectomy but at the moment there are no comparative studies to establish the real value of this device.