Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - National Cancer Institute - Department of Oncology (Surgical)

Over the past decade, minimally invasive liver surgery has gained acceptance with proliferation worldwide. This was a slow process, evolving from small peripheral resections to formal hepatic lobectomies. A Review of literature was done, 29 case series or reports were encountered. A total number of 247 patients who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic resection in between 2006 to 2013. These series were analyzed and outcomes such as operative time, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay, complications, conversion rate, and costs were described. The current state of literature demonstrates that robot- assisted liver surgery is a feasible and safe tool. Minimally invasive liver surgery is best performed by individuals trained in open liver surgery, who are skilled in minimally invasive techniques. The robot platform helps to overcome the inherent limitations of laparoscopy, thus expanding the role of minimally invasive surgery for complex hepato-biliary procedures especially for the postero-superior hepatic segments. While it is evident that robot-assisted liver surgery is feasible, the overall efficacy with regard to patient outcomes remains largely unanswered. Larger comparative studies are required to further address the clinical and economic impact of this relatively new surgical modality for liver surgery

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