Center for Urology and Robotics Institute Articles

Winter Haven Hospital welcomes Sijo Parekattil, M.D., as Director of Urology and Robotics Posted 09.23.10

Dr. Parekattil is fellowship-trained in advanced laparoscopy/robotics, and in microsurgery and male infertility. At the University of Florida College of Medicine/Shands Healthcare, he has performed more robotic microsurgeries than any other surgeon in the world.

Video Technique for Human Robot-Assisted Microsurgical Vasovasostomy

Previous studies have shown that robot-assisted microsurgical vasovasostomy (RAVV) has technical advantages over pure microscopic vasovasostomy (MVV) in animal and human models. This study presents a video technique and initial results for RAVV in 20 human cases compared with 7MVV cases by a single fellowshiptrained microsurgeon from July 2007 to June 2009. A three-layer 10-0 and 9-0 suture anastomosis was performed with up to 22 months follow-up (mean 3 months). Mean operative duration for the RAVV cases was 109 and 128 minutes for MVV ( p¼0.09). At 2 months postoperatively, all patients were patent. Mean sperm count was 54 million in RAVV and 11 million in MVV ( p¼0.04). The use of robotic assistance in microsurgical vasovasostomy may have potential benefit over MVV in decreasing operative duration and significantly improving early semen analysis measures. Further evaluation and longer follow-up is needed to assess its clinical potential.

Robotic surgery in male infertility and chronic orchialgia

The use of robotic assistance during microsurgical procedures is currently being explored in the treatment of male infertility and patients with chronic testicular pain. Whether the addition of this technology would allow a corresponding improvement in outcomes as when the operating microscope was introduced in microsurgery is yet to be seen.