Robotic radical hysterectomy: Technical aspects

Objectives: To describe the surgical technique of robotic radical hysterectomy. Methods: Retrospective video review of the instrumentation and methodology employed in 21 robotic radical hysterectomies for cervical cancer Stages IB-IIA. Results: All radical hysterectomies were performed with the use of three or four robotic arms, three or four robotic instruments and one assistant trocar. The mean operating time was 225.8 min; mean console time was 182.1 min; and mean docking time was 2.2 min. The mean blood loss was 174.6 ml, mean number of lymph nodes 26.2, and the mean length of hospital stay was 1.6 days. Conclusions: Robotic technology facilitates the performance of robotic radical hysterectomy.