It has been suggested that the robotic surgery platform is an enabling technology that allows surgeons that are not trained in standard laparoscopy to perform minimally-invasive surgery. This raises the question of whether or not training in laparoscopy is necessary for current and future surgeons. The current status of laparoscopy in urology in the United States is reviewed along with a perspective regarding the potential future role of laparoscopic training as robotic surgery becomes increasingly applied to most major urologic procedures.
Abdelshehid, C.S., Eichel, L., Lee, D., Uribe, C., Boker, J., Basillote, J. et al. (2005) Current trends in urologic laparoscopic surgery . J Endourol19: 15-20.
2.
Ahlering, T.E., Skarecky, D., Lee, D. and Clayman, R.V. ( 2003) Successful transfer of open surgical skills to a laparoscopic environment using a robotic interface: initial experience with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. J Urol170: 1738-1741.
3.
Bernard, H.R. and Hartman, T.W. ( 1993) Complications after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Am J Surg165: 533-555.
4.
Bowersox, J.C. and Cornum, R.L. ( 1998) Remote operative urology using a surgical telemanipulator system: preliminary observations. Urology52: 17-22.
Duchene, D.A., Moinzadeh, A., Gill, I.S., Clayman, R.V. and Winfield, H.N. ( 2006) Survey of residency training in laparoscopic and robotic surgery. J Urol176: 2158-2166.
7.
Escarce, J.J., Bloom, B.S., Hillman, A.L., Shea, J.A. and Schwartz, J.S. ( 1995) Diffusion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy among general surgeons in the United States. Med Care33: 256-271.
8.
Escarce, J.J., Shea, J.A. and Schwartz, J.S. ( 1997) How practicing surgeons trained for laparoscopic cholecystectomy . Med Care35: 291-296.
9.
Gomez, M.S., Baig, M.M., Muskovich, J.A. and Abaza, R. ( 2008) Abstract 8340 - Contribution of laparoscopic training to robotic proficiency. JSLS12: S66.
10.
Kim, H.L., Hollowell, C.M., Patel, R.V., Bales, G.T., Clayman, R.V. and Gerber, G.S. ( 2000) Use of new technology in endourology and laparoscopy by American urologists: internet and postal survey. Urology56: 760-765.
11.
Lavery, H.J., Thaly, R., Albala, D., Ahlering, T., Shalhav, A., Lee, D. et al. (2008) Robotic equipment malfunction during robotic prostatectomy: A multi-institutional study. J Endourol22: 2165-2168.
12.
Miller, D.C., Taub, D.A., Dunn, R.L., Wei, J.T. and Hollenbeck, B.K. ( 2006) Laparoscopy for renal cell carcinoma: diffusion versus regionalization? J Urol176: 1102-1106.
13.
Novick, A.C. ( 2004) Laparoscopic and partial nephrectomy. Clin Cancer Res10: 6322S-6327S.
14.
See, W.A., Cooper, C.S. and Fisher, R.J. ( 1993) Predictors of laparoscopic complications after formal training in laparoscopic surgery. JAMA270: 2689-2692.
15.
Shay, B.F., Thomas, R. and Monga, M. ( 2002) Urology practice patterns after residency training in laparoscopy. J Endourol16: 251-256.
16.
Sur, R.L., Wagner, A.A., Albala, D.M. and Su, L.M. ( 2008) Critical role of the assistant in laparoscopic and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. J Endourol22: 587-590.
17.
Wang, D.S. and Winfield, H.N. ( 2004) Survey of urological laparoscopic practice patterns in the Midwest. J Urol172: 2282-2286.
