Does robotic surgery merit widespread use in gynecology— or are claims of its benefits based mostly on hype?

We asked four AAGL participants that question. Hear select comments from your colleagues.

» ”When laparoscopic surgery started in 1989, there were no randomized trials for about 7 or 8 years, but that didn’t stop us from implementing the technology.”
Tommaso Falcone, MD, Cleveland, Ohio

» ”I think having people do laparoscopic tubals with a robot borders on malpractice.”
Mark Glasser, MD, San Rafael, California

» ”Our initial reaction was this is hype, this will go away in a few years. But over the years we’ve seen that it really does make a difference.”
Jamal Mourad, MD, Phoenix, Arizona

» ”I find more and more people trying to defend the robotic approach out of a personal or profit-based stance rather than an evidence-based stance.”
Stephen Montoya, MD, Las Vegas, Nevada