[The future of laparoscopy and robotics in urology]

The introduction of robotics led to a decrease in the importance of classical laparoscopy. Nevertheless laparoscopy and retroperitoneoscopy underwent significant technological improvements during the last decade, including introduction of 4k Ultra HD video technology, 3D-HD-videosystems, minaturised instruments, advanced sealing devices, instruments with 7 degrees of freedom, and ergonomic platforms Ethos Chair^®. The monopoly of robotic surgical devices will end in 2019, because key patents of Intuitive Surgical will expire. This will lead to an interesing competition among new manufacturers of robotic surgical devices, which however have to prove that they meet the high quality standard of the current da Vinci series, such as type of console, arrangement of robotic arms, technology of 3D-videosystem, and quality and degrees of freedom of end effectors. There are also robotic systems used in endourology: Avicenna Roboflex^® and the AquaBeam^®-System for robot-assisted aquablation therapy of the prostate. While Roboflex improves the ergonomics of flexbile ureteroscopy, AquaBeam may for the first time eliminate the surgeon.