• Cardiac Procedures
• Laparoscopic Procedures
• Thoracic Procedures
• Urologic Procedures

Definition

Robot-assisted surgery is when a doctor guides small robotic arms through tiny incisions. It allows for greater range of motion than regular surgery.

Reasons for Procedure

This method may be used for surgery that:

• Must be precise
• Does not need open access, such as with laparoscopic procedures

The benefits of this type of surgery are:

• Less blood loss
• Lower risk of infection
• Less scarring
• Less trauma to the body
• Faster recovery
• Less time in the hospital

Many adult and child surgeries can be done using this method. Some examples are:

General:

• Adrenalectomy —removal of the adrenal gland
• Cholecystectomy —removal of the gallbladder
• Bariatric —reduces the size of the stomach to treat obesity
• Heller myotomy—procedure on the lower esophageal sphincter
• Nissen fundoplication —treatment for severe heartburn
• Pyloroplasty—widens the opening in the lower part of the stomach
• Colectomy —removal of the colon
• Appendectomy —removal of the appendix
• Hernia repair—corrects a bulging of internal organs or tissues

Chest:

• Esophagectomy —removal of the esophagus
• Thymectomy —removal of the thymus gland
• Mediastinal tumor resection —removal of tumors in the chest cavity
• Lobectomy —removal of a lung

Heart:

• Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG)
• Atrial septal defect repair
• Mitral valve repair

Gynecologic:

• Hysterectomy —removal of the uterus
• Myomectomy —removal of uterine fibroids

Urologic

• Nephrectomy —removal of the kidney
• Radical prostatectomy —removal of the prostate
• Cystectomy —removal of the bladder

Possible Complications

Problems from robotic-assisted surgeries are rare, but all procedures have some risk. The doctor will go over some problems that could happen, such as:

• Excess bleeding
• Problems from anesthesia, such as wheezing or sore throat
• Infection
• Damage to nearby organs or structures
• The need to switch to traditional surgery types, such as traditional laparoscopic or open surgery

Things that may raise the risk of problems are:

• Smoking
• Chronic diseases, such as diabetes or obesity
• Alcohol use disorder

What to Expect

Description of the Procedure

Keyhole Incisions

Keyhole incisions are placed in preparation for a robot-assisted surgical procedure.

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Several small incisions will be made at the surgery site. A needle may be used to inject gas into the area. This will make it easier to see inside the body. A scope with a small camera on the end will be passed through one of the incisions. The camera will display the area on a video screen. Next, robotic arms holding tools will be inserted through the holes.

While sitting nearby, the doctor will use lenses to look at a magnified 3-D image of the inside of the body. Another doctor will adjust the camera and tools. The robotic arms and tools will be guided by the surgeon. When the surgery is done, the tools will be removed. Stitches or staples will be used to close the incisions. Bandages will be used to cover them.

Call Your Doctor

Call the doctor if you are not getting better or you have:

• Signs of infection, such as fever and chills
• Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or discharge from an incision
• Cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe nausea or vomiting
• Problems urinating
• Pain and swelling in the feet or legs
• Constipation or diarrhea
• New or unexpected symptoms

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.