Considerations for the assistant
Trends in health care predict increased use of assistants, or advanced practice providers (APPs), by physicians in the treatment and care of patients. For the urologist in the operating room,…
Basic instrumentation
The ubiquitous adoption of laparoscopic, and more recently, robotic surgery in many surgical disciplines has resulted in a wide variety of laparoscopic and robotic instruments. Herein we describe commonly used…
Patient preparation and positioning for laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery
Introduction Appropriate patient selection, thorough preparation, and careful patient positioning are essential in achieving a safe and successful outcome in laparoscopic surgery. Regardless of a particular surgeon’s technical expertise, inadequate…
Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy
Since the introduction of laparoscopic adrenalectomy in 1992, it has rapidly become the gold standard for surgical management of adrenal pathology. In this chapter, we describe current indications and techniques…
Laparoscopic and Robotic-Assisted Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection
Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) allows for the accurate diagnosis of retroperitoneal disease in patients with nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT), thereby permitting stage-directed therapy. In patients with low-volume retroperitoneal…
Preperitoneal Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy
The preperitoneal (also referred to as an extraperitoneal or retroperitoneal) approach to performing a robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) aims to mimic access obtained during an open retropubic radical prostatectomy technique,…
Continent Urinary Diversion
Urinary diversion is a necessity after cystectomy. For the proper candidate, continent urinary diversion (CUD) may offer significant quality-of-life advantages. Several versions of continent diversion have been described, including the…
Laparoscopic/Robotic Camera and Lens Systems
It has been said that exposure is key for open surgery. Similarly, the imaging platform used in endoscopic surgery, whether it is laparoscopic or robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery, is a key…
Complications of Laparoscopic and Robotic-Assisted Surgery
The benefit of any surgical intervention is weighed against the risk of complications. Although experience is of obvious importance, not even the most veteran surgeon is immune to complications that…
Basic Instrumentation
With ubiquitous adoption of laparoscopic surgery in many surgical disciplines, a wide variety of laparoscopic instruments are available in operating rooms. Herein we describe commonly useful laparoscopic instruments as well…
