Anaesthesia concerns of steep Trendelenburg position in robotic pelvic surgeries: A critical review

Abstract

Robot-assisted pelvic surgeries in steep Trendelenburg position present unique challenges to the anaesthesia team. Pneumoperitoneum, also, puts additional strain on the cardiovascular and respiratory requirements of the patient. In-depth knowledge of the effect of this position on patient's physiology is essential for intraoperative safety and better management. Robotic arms can also cause steric hindrance and limited access to the patient thus better intraoperative communication may help in averting any untoward event. With this review, we discuss the effect of steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum on the intraoperative physiology of the patient.