Robotic systems in urological surgery: Current state and future directions

Minimally invasive surgery has ushered in an era of popularized robotic-assistance for numerous urological procedures. There continues to be a great deal of interest in improving robotic technologies further. Concomitant robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and trans-rectal ultrasound has been employed to better visualize the neurovascular bundles and other adjacent critical structures during prostatectomy. There have also been attempts to improve prostate biopsy, brachytherapy and percutaneous renal interventions using robot-guidance. A magnetic resonance-safe robot has been designed and safely used to directly biopsy suspicious. Additionally, robot-guided brachytherapy seed placement for prostate cancer treatment has proven feasible and highly accurate. Lastly, robot-guidance for percutaneous renal access has been shown to be accurate and rapid. The evolution of robotic systems may facilitate the development of targeted therapies in urology. The growing emphasis on precision and reproducibility in medicine will likely put robotic technology at the forefront of future urological procedures.