AB001. SOH24AB_065. Ten top tips to be a good robotic assistant

The introduction of robotic surgery during the last decade has revolutionised minimally invasive surgery, changed surgical approach and transformed theatre set up. While the main surgeon conducts the operation remotely, with no direct control at the bedside, the assistant remains scrubbed at the patient's side. Thus, robotic assistants must be technically familiar with the robot but also have good laparoscopic skills. This makes the role of robotic bedside assistant crucial for a successful robotic procedure. Initially, robotic surgery was mainly used in pelvic and urological procedures but it has now spread to other areas such as cardiothoracic and ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialties. Although each specialty and surgery may have specific considerations, certain qualities of the robotic assistant are universal. In this video, we present ten tips on how to be a good robotic assistant.