Robotic surgery and anaesthesia

There has been a major surgical shift towards a minimally invasive approach over the last two decades. Technology has allowed for operations not previously thought possible such as intra-abdominal surgery to be performed through small incisions. Recently with the advent of robotically assisted surgery, the bar has been further raised with closed chest cardiac surgery becoming a reality. The development of the da Vinci robotic system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA) has added to this progress. We review the development of robotic assisted surgery and its status in current practice. Emphasis is made on the anaesthetic implications of having this technology in the operating room and how it affects patient care.