Robotically Assisted Recipient Site Preparation in Hair Restoration Surgery: Surgical Safety and Clinical Outcomes in 31 Consecutive Patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in robotic surgery have extended to hair restoration surgery, using a robotic recipient site creation device. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the surgical safety and postoperative clinical outcomes of using this robotic system. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one men diagnosed with androgenetic alopecia, who underwent hair transplantation with robotic recipient site creation, were retrospectively reviewed. Their mean age was 38.7 ± 9.5 (range, 22‒67) years. RESULTS: The total number of robotically created recipient sites was 36,273. The average site creation speed was 1,593 ± 544 sites per hour. Postoperative crusting (54.8%) was the most frequent complication in the recipient area, followed by pruritus (12.9%), asymmetry (6.5%), and folliculitis (6.5%). The mean score of cosmetic outcomes and patient satisfaction, scored on a 5-point scale, was 4.10 ± 0.54 and 4.13 ± 0.85, respectively. No significant differences in cosmetic outcomes and patient satisfaction were found between 3 operators. CONCLUSION: The current device can automatically make slit incisions in the recipient area with speed and consistency noninferior to manual site creation. It is both safe and reliable for clinical use, and it is also easily managed by different hair surgeons without a long learning curve.