How Safe Are the Laparoscopic and Robotic Graspers? Evaluation of the Novel Avatera Robotic Surgical System: An Acute In Vivo Study on a Porcine Model.

Objective: To evaluate the tissue injury caused by the force applied by the roboticassisted graspers of avatera robotic surgical system on bowel tissue.

Methods: An experimental in vivo porcine model with 1 pig was conducted. After a standard transperitoneal setup of the avatera robotic surgical system, different laparoscopic and robotic graspers were used on the bowel with maximum force applied each time. Robotic atraumatic grasper, laparoscopic right angle grasper, laparoscopic curved grasper, and laparoscopic atraumatic grasper were used. After using all graspers, the pig was sacrificed. The bowel segments were resected and sent for histological analysis.

Results: The pathologist reported that all the graspers caused signs of acute inflammation without any irreversible damage or signs compatible with ischemia of the tissue. No significant difference in histology was observed between the graspers.

Conclusion: No permanent damage was caused by graspers, except for acute, reversible inflammation. Concluding, the avatera grasper could be safe to use on bowel segments, independent of the applied pressure.