Robotic-assisted surgery for the community gynecologist: can it be adopted?

Abstract

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists confirm advantages of conventional minimally invasive surgery over laparotomy for benign gynecological procedures; however, adoption remains low for the general gynecologist. A systematic search for gynecology publications was performed using Medline and Scopus. Available data on adoption rates and perioperative outcomes for hysterectomy, myomectomy, sacrocolpopexy, and endometriosis were reviewed. Robotic assistance may provide an improved rate of minimally invasive surgery adoption with equivalent perioperative outcomes to that of conventional techniques. Accessibility and cost remain controversial. Formal training programs are being created to address these issues.