Electrocautery-Associated Vascular Injury During Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The robotic surgical platform is increasingly used in gynecology and, similar to laparoscopy, it has risks of electrocautery-associated injury. CASE: We present three cases of injury caused by failures of the monopolar scissors' insulating sheath while coagulation and cutting currents were set at 35 W. In case 1, an external iliac vein injury required blood transfusion and emergent laparotomy. In case 2, a full-thickness external iliac artery injury was repaired robotically. In case 3, a partial-thickness external iliac artery injury also was repaired robotically. CONCLUSION: Unintended electrosurgical arcs can occur from monopolar instruments. Insulation failure is a common finding in this type of injury. Surgeons should avoid excessive instrument collisions and should change the monopolar scissors' insulating sheath if there are any concerns of a defect in its integrity.