Robotic Urologic Surgery in the Infant: a Review

The goal of this article is to review the current role of robotic urologic surgery in the infant population across a spectrum of diseases and procedures.

Robotic urological surgery has been performed in the infant population across a variety of conditions including ureteropelvic junction obstruction, vesicoureteral reflux, and duplicated and nonfunctional renal moieties. However, most of the durable evidence showing safety and success remains in the repair of the obstructed ureteropelvic junction. Included in this review are also strategies to address the limitations imposed by the unique physiology and anatomy of the infant. Robotic urologic surgery remains an alternative to other surgical approaches in the properly selected infant in the hands of experienced surgeons. As additional larger studies are performed, the utility of the robotic platform in this population will be clearer.