Robotic colorectal surgery: where are we right now?

Minimally invasive surgery has become mainstream in surgical management of colorectal disease. Based on evidence of oncologic safety and benefit to patients, laparoscopic colorectal surgery is regarded as a successful alternative to open surgery. Since the introduction of the da Vinci (R) system as another tool for minimally invasive surgery, there have been several reports regarding the feasibility and safety of the system. The authors looked at their experience with 412 robotic colorectal surgeries and found that it was feasible and safe. Incidence of operation-related morbidity was around 11 per cent and system-related problems were 2.4 per cent. There was no operation-related or system-related mortality. From a technological perspective, robotic surgery has several advantages over laparoscopic surgery, including a magnifying view with a three-dimensional image, a stable camera platform, and instruments with Endowrist (R) technology that allow for seven degrees of freedom of movement. However, there is still room for improvement. The revolution of robotic technology can aid in the realization of a dream: a smaller, cheaper, and more sophisticated robotic system, which will further facilitate the widespread application of robotic surgery to colorectal disease.