Novel Technologies in Urologic Surgery: a Rapidly Changing Scenario

Abstract

The introduction of laparoscopy and robotic surgery revolutionized the surgical management of urologic patients. Nonetheless, we live in an era of rapid changes, and we are probably still in the infancy of technology applied to surgery. When considering currently available technologies, there are several unmet needs to be addressed. These include the application of augmented reality, haptic feedback, tissue recognition, distant remote control, miniaturization of surgical instruments, the learning curve typical of the introduction of novel techniques, and excessive costs. In the next few years, evolution in imaging modalities in pre- and intraoperative surgical planning, as well as the introduction of novel minimally invasive platforms, would in part address these issues, substantially improving surgical outcomes. In addition, validated training programs would allow for the safe implementation of novel techniques in the clinical practice. Finally, a reduction in costs would be necessary to make technology affordable and to optimize healthcare resources.

Keywords: Augmented reality; Intraoperative imaging; Minimally invasive surgery; Novel technologies; Robotic surgery; Urology.