Cost and Outcomes in Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery

The modern era of advanced laparoscopic surgery is the direct result of the disruptive work of Prof. Dr. Erich Muhe with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in 1985 (Reynolds Jr, JSLS 5(1):89–94, 2001). Since his original work in the field of minimally invasive surgery has incorporated diverse and aggressive refinements of instrumentation and techniques for many operative indications (Reynolds Jr, JSLS 5(1):89–94, 2001). These efforts at reducing surgical stress while improving cosmesis have included reductions in port size/number, altered extraction sites, attempts at hand assistance, and ultimately single port access (Bucher et al., Br J Surg 98(12):1695–1702, 2011). The ultimate goal of all these innovations is to provide our patients with high quality surgical care while maintaining high value.