Robotic surgery in living liver donors and liver recipients

Abstract

There have been nearly 60 years since Thomas Starzl’s first liver transplant. During this period, advancements in medical technology have progressively enabled the adoption of new methods for transplantation. Among these innovations, robotic surgery has emerged in recent decades and is gradually being integrated into transplant medicine. Robotic hepatectomy and liver implantation represent significant advancements in the field of transplant surgery. The precision and minimally invasive nature of robotic surgery offer substantial benefits for both living donors and recipients. In living donors, robotic hepatectomy reduces postoperative pain, minimizes scarring, and accelerates recovery. For liver recipients, robotic liver implantation enhances surgical accuracy, leading to better graft positioning and vascular anastomosis. Robotic systems provide more precise and maneuverable control of instruments, allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures with greater accuracy and reduced risk to patients. This review encompasses publications on minimally invasive donor liver surgery, with a specific focus on robotic liver resection in transplantation, and aims to summarize current knowledge and the development status of robotic surgery in liver transplantation, focusing on liver resection in donors and graft implantation in recipients.