Current Status of Robotic Surgery in Gynecology in Japan

Abstract

Robot-assisted surgery has high-resolution 3D stereoscopic vision and a function to prevent camera and forceps from shaking. Furthermore, as the forceps can be operated with a high degree of freedom utilizing the multi-joint function, it is effective for fine surgery such as lymph node dissection for gynecologic malignancies. Currently, in the gynecologic field, total hysterectomy for benign diseases such as uterine myoma and early endometrial cancer, and sacral colpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse are covered by social insurance. When performing these operations, the facility must be registered in compliance with the guidelines of the Japanese Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In the future, the indications are expected to be expanded by utilizing the aforementioned characteristics and applied to highly difficult surgeries such as radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer and para-aortic lymphadenectomy for endometrial cancer. However, there are also unique complications that are not prevalent during laparotomy and laparoscopic surgery. In order to safely perform robot-assisted surgery, It is necessary to have sufficient training regularly.