Robotic surgery as therapeutic conduct in the context of endometriosis: a gynecological advance with advantages and disadvantages

Introduction: Endometriosis is a chronic, inflammatory disease characterized by endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity and manifested by cyclic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and dyspareunia. In women with hormone-resistant pain associated with endometriosis, surgical treatment should be considered. Recently, robotic surgery has been referred to as an alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery as a therapeutic approach in cases of endometriosis. Objectives: The objective of this work is to describe the advantages and disadvantages regarding the feasibility and safety of robotic surgery in patients affected by endometriosis. Methods: It was a literature review focusing on therapeutic evidence based on scientific articles published in the last three years in the main scientific databases: SCIELO, PUBMED, Google academic, in order to gather current information on the proposed topic. Results: Robotic surgery uses state-of-the-art technology, in which, through a small incision in the skin, the robot reaches regions that are difficult to access in the traditional method, with more precision. Technically, there is also a gain in quality compared to open surgery, especially when working on the pelvic retroperitoneum, which is a very deep region. Thus, providing lower surgical morbidity and more economical resections, reflecting lower rates of nerve damage and faster recovery in patients with endometriosis. On the other hand, the disadvantages of this technique include a lower versatility, in general, when compared to the laparoscopic technique, namely lack of tactile sensitivity, need for surgical assistance and higher cost. Conclusion: Therefore, endometriosis is a prevalent pathology in women of reproductive age, being responsible for high morbidity in this age group due to the impact it causes on the quality of life of affected women.