Robotic Laparoscopic Surgery
with the da VinciĀ® System:
An Early Experience
Giuseppe Spinoglio, M.D.
Director, Department of Surgery
Massimo Summa, M.D.
Surgeon, Department of Surgery
Fabio Priora, M.D.
Surgeon, Department of Surgery
Raoul Quarati, M.D.
Surgeon, Department of Surgery
Silvio Testa, M.D.
Surgeon, Department of Surgery
SS Antonio e Biagio Hospital
Alessandria, Italy
Theoretically, robotic surgery is likely to overcome the intrinsic limitations of laparoscopic surgery, such as a view not under the direct surgeon's control, two-dimensional imaging, and limited motion of instruments. In this chapter, the preliminary experience with a robotic laparoscopic surgery system in the Surgical Department of the Alessandria Hospital, Italy, is reported. From November 2005 to August 2007, a total of 162 laparoscopic robotic operations were performed, in which robotic surgery was found to be feasible and safe. It takes a longer time than standard laparoscopy but seems able to reduce the need of a steep learning curve.