Robotic Telescopic Assistance in Pediatric Laparoscopic Surgery

With the advent of the twenty-first century, there is a rapid evolution in the application of robotic technology for operative procedures. Currently, this technology is available in two forms: robotic telescopic assistance using AESOP® (Computer Motion, Goleta, California); and robotic applications for procedural laparoscopy through either the da Vinci® (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, California) or ZEUS® (Computer Motion) systems. At our hospital, AESOP has been utilized for robotic telescopic assistance for almost three years. There are a number of advantages with this system for certain operations including a steady visual field, a consistent telescope operating system, lack of human fatigue, and a reduction in the number of people actively participating in a small space. This paper will describe the current operations in which AESOP is utilized at our institution, data indicating a decrease in the operative time for laparoscopic fundoplication using this system, and a discussion of the advantages of the use of this technology.