Introduction Since the first report of laparoscopic nephrectomy in 1991, minimally invasive nephrectomy has become the procedure of choice for most benign pathologic conditions of the kidney and malignant renal…

Potential complications are an inevitable part of surgical practice from which not even the most experienced surgeons are immune. As such, the benefit of any surgical intervention must be weighed…

Introduction Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery has become widely adopted based on multiple well-demonstrated benefits, including reduced complications, readmissions, postoperative pain, and length of stay. However, these approaches have…

For laparoscopic surgery, insufflation of the peritoneal cavity and establishment of entry ports must be completed. To achieve insufflation, the surgeon must first gain safe access to the peritoneal cavity….

Access to the retroperitoneum in the operating room has traditionally been through a flank or posterior incision to avoid violation of the peritoneal cavity. This approach provides urologists the most…

Since the introduction of the laparoscopic nephrectomy in 1991 by Clayman and colleagues, advancements in minimally invasive surgical equipment have expanded the application of laparoscopic techniques to several reconstructive urologic…

Indications and contraindications Pneumoperitoneum is an essential component in any transperitoneal laparoscopic or robotic-assisted surgery. Instillation of gas into the peritoneum allows distention of the peritoneal space to safely visualize…

Introduction It has been said that the key to a successful open surgery is exposure. Similarly, the imaging modality used in endoscopic surgery, whether it is laparoscopic or robotic-assisted laparoscopic…

Introduction Robotic-assisted surgical devices (RASDs) have revolutionized minimally invasive surgery since 1994. The market leader, Intuitive Surgical, reports their product involvement in over 7.2 million procedures worldwide, and in 2018,…