Robotic Approach to Pelvic Floor Disorders

Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) affect a significant number of women during their lifetime with approximately 11 % of all women seeking surgical intervention for PFDs. Women seeking surgical intervention for PFDs have a variety of procedures, many of which can be performed using a minimally invasive approach. Among the array of options, utilization of the robotic platform continues to garner more interest from both patients and surgeons. Initial studies have shown the safety and feasibility of procedures adapted for the robotic platform. Newer studies have begun to investigate the long-term efficacy and functional outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery. Other investigations demonstrate varying cost differences between robotic pelvic floor procedures compared to laparotomy and conventional laparoscopy procedures. An attractive aspect of the robotic platform is a significantly shorter learning curve for surgeons compared with the prolonged learning curve for conventional laparoscopy. As surgeons decide whether they will ultimately adopt this surgical modality, it is imperative that level 1 evidence and other well designed studies be available for surgeons to assess the robotic platform objectively.