ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has become the standard option for gastrointestinal surgeries. However, laparoscopic procedures require extended training times and are difficult for inexperienced surgeons. Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery facilitates easy adaptation of laparoscopic procedures, but robotic surgical systems are expensive. In addition, their cost has remained high because there is currently only one manufacturer of commercially available systems. Recently, a new Korean robotic surgical system, Revo-i, has been developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of Revo-i by performing robotic cholecystectomy in a porcine model. METHODS: After approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Yonsei University Health System, cholecystectomy was performed in four pigs using the Revo-i robotic surgical system. Operative time and perioperative complications were recorded, and all animals were observed for postoperative complications for 2 weeks after surgery RESULTS: Robotic cholecystectomy was completed successfully and without gallbladder perforation in all cases. The mean operative time was 78 ± 12 min, the mean docking time was 4.5 ± 2.52 min, and the mean console time was 49.8 ± 14.17 min. There were no perioperative complications, and none of the animal used for the in vivo models exhibited abnormal behavior during the postoperative observation period. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results verify the safety and efficacy of robotic cholecystectomy using the Revo-i robotic surgical system. Human trials are slated to begin accordingly.