Robotic-Assisted Pancreatic Surgery: Advancements and Outcomes

Abstract

Robotic surgery has been a huge breakthrough in all fields of surgery, due to the three-dimensional view of the operating field, elimination of hand tremor, better dexterity from the instruments and a huge improvement of the capacity to do sutures, knots and complex dissection. Therefore, pancreatic surgery has also benefited from this new approach, especially in procedures such as pancreaticoduodenectomies and distal pancreatectomies, which are the most performed. Pancreatic robotic surgery has shown many advantages, such as less blood loss and shorter hospital stay, but some concerns still need to be addressed, especially the cost-effectiveness and the clinical outcomes of this approach. The learning curve is also an important factor to take into consideration, since literature is not consensual, and it influences the outcomes of this procedure. Although literature seems to agree on the potential benefits of pancreatic robotic surgery, more studies, such as randomized-controlled trials, are necessary to fully understand its impact. Besides, more literature is also needed to determine in what conditions this approach is indicated, by comparing the benefits and the downsides.