Introduction:Radical Cystectomy (RC) with urinary diversion (UD) is still considered a complex surgery associated with significant morbidity. Open RC (ORC) remains the reference option of treatment...

The advent of robotic surgical systems had a significant impact on every surgical area, especially urology, gynecology, and general and cardiac surgery. The aim of this article is to delineate robotic surgery, particularly focusing on its historical background, its evolution, its present status, and its future perspectives. A comprehensive literature review was conducted upon PubMed/MEDLINE, using the keywords “robotic surgical system”, “robotic surgical device”, “robotics AND urology”. Additionally, the retrieved articles’ reference lists were investigated. Analysis concentrated on urological surgical systems for laparoscopic surgery that have been given regulatory approval for use on humans. From the late 1980s, before daVinci^® Era in 2000s, ancestor platform as Probot^® and PUMA 560 were described to outline historical perspective. Thus, new robotic competitors of Intuitive Surgical such as Senhance^®, Revo-I^®, Versius^®, Avatera^®, Hinotori^®, and Hugo^TM RAS were illustrated. Although daVinci^® had high level competitiveness, and for many years represented the most plausible option for robotic procedures, several modern platforms are emerging in the surgical market. Growing competition through unique features of the new robotic technologies might extend applications fields, improve diffusion, and increase cost-effectiveness procedures. More experiences are needed to identify the role of these new advancements in surgical branches and in healthcare systems.

In order to improve standard reporting of outcomes after partial nephrectomy, different "trifecta" systems have been conceived. The subjective assessment of the included parameters and the unreliability for off-clamp procedures limited their reproducibility; their role in predicting functional and oncologic outcomes has never been assessed. We propose a new trifecta, based on standardized parameters, that summarizes PN outcomes regardless the clamping technique used and predicts main clinical outcomes. A retrospective analysis of a multicenter, multi-national dataset of patients with non-metastatic cT1-2 renal masses undergoing Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy was performed. Baseline demographic, clinical, pathologic and perioperative data were collected. Trifecta was defined as the coexistence of negative margins, no Clavien-Dindo ≥3 complications and ≤30% postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate reduction. Univariable and multivariable regression analyses identified predictors of trifecta achievement. Kaplan-Meier method assessed differences in oncological outcomes between patients achieving trifecta or not. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis identified predictors of newly onset chronic kidney disease stage ≥IIIa, recurrence-free and overall survival. Overall, 1492 patients achieved trifecta. This cohort displayed significantly lower incidence of newly onset IIIa-V chronic kidney disease stages (all P<0.001), higher recurrence-free (P=0.009) and overall (P=0.014) survival probabilities. Patients achieving trifecta had a 65% reduced risk of developing newly onset stage IIIb-V Chronic Kidney Disease and a 55% reduced risk of overall mortality. Heterogeneity of surgical technique is a limitation. This novel reproducible trifecta is based on standardized parameters and is an independent predictor of severe chronic kidney disease development and mortality.

Since its introduction in the early 2000s, robotic surgery has represented a significative innovation within a minimally invasive surgery approach. A variety of robotic platforms have been made available throughout the years, and the outcomes related to those platforms have been described in the literature for many types of surgeries. Medtronic’s Hugo^TM RAS system is one of the newest robotic generations launched, but because of its recent placing on the field, comprehensive clinical data are still lacking. The aim of the present state of the art is to address the current literature concerning the use of the Hugo^TM RAS robot in order to report its feasibility, safety and clinical applications in different surgical branches. Two reviewers independently conducted a search on the “PubMed” electronic database, using the keywords “Hugo” and “Hugo RAS”. After the initial screening of 35 results, a total of 15 articles concerning the Hugo RAS system were selected for the review, including both oncological and benign surgery. Patients’ demographic and baseline data were compared including, when available, docking system times, complications and oncological outcomes in the fields of urologic, gynecologic and general surgery. With reference to urological procedures, a total of 156 robot-assisted radical prostatectomies, 10 robot-assisted partial nephrectomies, and 5 robot-assisted adrenalectomies were performed, involving a total of 171 patients. The surgical branch in which the Hugo system found its major application was urology, which was followed by gynecology and general surgery. The Hugo RAS system by Medtronic represents an innovative and safe surgical platform, with excellent perspective for the future and different clinical applications in many surgical branches. More studies are needed to validate the safety and results from this new robotic platform.