Innovative Applications of Robotic Surgery: Renal Allograft and Autologous Transplantation

Robotic surgery has enabled surgeons to offer more patients a minimally invasive surgical option in the management of their complex diseases. While renal transplantation is associated with significant improvements in quantity and quality of life for most end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, it is also not devoid of its surgical risks and potential morbidities. Robotic-assisted kidney transplantation is a recently described, innovative application of the robotic surgery platform, and early experiences suggest that it is associated with comparable graft function and lower rates of complications. Urinary tract obstruction, though less common than ESRD, can be a serious threat to renal function. Severe ureteric stricture disease can represent a clinically complex problem requiring major reconstructive surgery. Completely intra-corporeal robotic renal auto-transplantation is another innovative application of the robotic surgery platform and represents a significant advancement in urologic surgery. Initial reports of this procedure demonstrate safety, feasibility, and excellent renal function outcomes.