Robotic Repair of Ventral Hernias: Preliminary Findings of a Case Series of 106 Consecutive Cases

Abstract

Robotic ventral hernia repair is considered a new approach in the minimally invasive arena. There is a paucity of literature surrounding the safety and feasibility of robotic ventral hernia repair. The objective of our study is to evaluate the safety and feasibility of robotic ventral hernia repair and evaluate early outcomes. Numerous studies have demonstrated that laparoscopic ventral hernia has a low rate of conversion to open, shorter hospital stay as compared to open, moderate complication rates, and a low risk of recurrence. Despite these findings, the adoption of this technique across the US is not the dominant approach. The da Vinci robot (Si, Sie, Xi Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) as an enabling tool, offers numerous advantages overall including 7° of freedom, three-dimensional (3D) imaging, and superior ergonomics that enable precise suturing and dissection at difficult angles. In this study, we are sharing our own case series and literature review.