Robotic liver surgery

Although minimally invasive hepatic resection surgery has shown decreased morbidity in select patients, conventional laparoscopic liver resection has inherent limitations with reduced freedom of movement within the abdominal cavity and 2-dimensional view of the operative field. Robotic liver surgery allows surgeons to perform advanced procedures with a potential for improved precision and ergonomics as well as a 3-dimensional view of the surgical site. However, use of the robot entails a steep learning curve and additional equipment. The purpose of this article is to summarize the emerging field of robotic liver surgery and include the authors' early experience with these operations.