Essential updates 2022/2023: A review of current topics in robotic hepatectomy

Abstract

The liver requires careful handling intra-operatively owing to its vital functions and complexity. Traditional open hepatectomy, while standard, is invasive and requires long recovery periods. Laparoscopic hepatectomy is a less invasive option, with its own challenges. The rise of robotic surgery, such as the da Vinci® system, improves precision and control, addressing the limitations of conventional methods, but brings new concerns, such as costs and training. This review focuses on the latest advancements in robotic hepatectomy from 2022/23 articles, delving into topics like “robotic surgery in liver transplantation,” “robotic hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma,” “robotic vascular reconstruction following hepatectomy,” “robotic repeat hepatectomy,” and “prospective trials in robotic hepatectomy.” To retrieve articles, a focused literature search was conducted using PubMed for articles from 2022/23 with a 5-year filter, excluding reviews. Initially, abstracts were screened, and relevant articles on robotic surgery were examined in full for inclusion in this review. Although all the above items are cutting-edge, and many of the references are necessarily at the level of case reports, recent articles are still accompanied by surgical videos, which are useful to readers, especially surgeons who are considering imitating the procedures. In summary, we examined the recent advancements in robotic liver resection. The inclusion of videos that present new techniques aids in knowledge transfer. We anticipate the continued growth of this field of research.