[Robotic vs. laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal tumors]

Robot-assisted surgical techniques have become increasingly established in general and visceral surgery over the past 15 years. This also applies to adrenalectomy, a purely resective procedure that does not require complex reconstruction. The current standard remains minimally invasive surgery, performed either laparoscopically or retroperitoneoscopically. Do a number of perceived advantages-such as stable three-dimensional visualization, articulated instruments, and an additional "hand" for the surgeon-justify the still considerably higher costs of robotic-assisted surgery? Current evidence suggests minor benefits of robotic surgery in certain operative and complication-related parameters, although these advantages appear to have limited relevance in everyday clinical practice. A broader perspective, however, indicates that the question raised will soon become obsolete, as robot-assisted techniques are likely to become standard practice in the near future.