First prospective clinical assessment of the ILY robotic flexible ureteroscopy platform.

PURPOSE

To present the initial prospective clinical assessment of the ILY robotic ureteroscopy manipulator platform, focusing on its safety and effectiveness.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Data gathered from 31 kidney units which underwent elective robotic flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) for renal stone management utilizing the ILY robotic system. Patient demographics, stone characteristics, surgical durations, perioperative and post-operative complications, and follow-up parameters were collected. Our primary outcome was evaluating the efficacy and safety of the ILY robotic ureteroscopy for treating kidney stones. Therefore, we analyzed complication rates, surgical durations, and the stone-free rate during follow-up.

RESULTS

Our cohort consisted of 29 patients, presenting with 45 stones with a median volume of 736.22 mm3. The median operation time was 85 min, accompanied by 3 min for robot draping, 3.5 min for robot docking, 48 min of console operation, and lasing time of 36.75 min. Post operative stay for all patients was 1 day, while complications were observed in 9.68% of cases. Notably, all complications were classified as CVD (Clavien-Dindo) class 1 due to pain requiring emergency department visit. The stone-free rate achieved was 93.55%, and none of the patient required reoperation for the treated stone.

CONCLUSION

In the first prospective clinical experience of the ILY robotic FURS, we demonstrated its efficacy and safety. To further investigate its clinical practical value, additional investigations are warranted, including direct comparative analyses with manual flexible ureteroscopy techniques.