Rozani S, Pliatsikas K, Vougas V. Robotic liver transplantation surgery: A comprehensive review of minimally invasive techniques, surgical and educational advancements. World J Gastrointest Surg 2026; 18(6): 119472 [DOI: 10.4240/wjgs.119472]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Sofia Rozani, MD, PhD, Academic Fellow, Research Fellow, 2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieio University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Vas Sofias Street 76, Athens 11528, Greece. sofrozan@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Transplantation
Article-Type of This Article
review-article
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Gastrointest Surg. Jun 27, 2026; 18(6): 119472 Published online Jun 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.119472
Robotic liver transplantation surgery: A comprehensive review of minimally invasive techniques, surgical and educational advancements
Sofia Rozani, Kirykos Pliatsikas, Vasileios Vougas
Sofia Rozani, 2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieio University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 11528, Greece
Kirykos Pliatsikas, 4th Department of Surgery, Attikon University Hospital, University of Athens, Chaidari 12462, Attikí, Greece
Vasileios Vougas, First Department of Surgery and Transplant Unit, “Evangelismos” Hospital, Athens 10676, Greece
Author contributions: Rozani S, Pliatsikas K, and Vougas V solely contributed to the writing and revision of this paper.
AI contribution statement: I use Grammarly for language editing and polishing.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Sofia Rozani, MD, PhD, Academic Fellow, Research Fellow, 2nd Department of Surgery, Aretaieio University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Vas Sofias Street 76, Athens 11528, Greece. sofrozan@gmail.com
Received: January 28, 2026 Revised: March 5, 2026 Accepted: April 7, 2026 Published online: June 27, 2026 Processing time: 143 Days and 0.2 Hours
Abstract
Robotic liver surgery as well as robotic liver transplantation surgery is gaining significant ground in modern minimally invasive liver surgery techniques with continuously improving surgical outcomes and multiple benefits for liver transplant recipients. The multiple benefits of robotic liver transplantation include sharper visualization of the anatomy and surgical approach for surgeons, reduced postoperative pain, and less hospital stay time for postoperative liver transplant recipients. In this review, recent surgical techniques and surgical innovations in the field of robotic liver transplantation are explored. Noteworthy is the attempt to explore the future implications in robotic liver transplant surgery as they are shaped in the modern era following the radical development of telemedicine and artificial intelligence in optimizing surgical techniques and learning procedures for the benefit of robotic liver surgeons and transplant patients.
Core Tip: Robotic liver transplantation represents a significant advancement in hepatobiliary surgery, combining minimally invasive techniques with enhanced precision, improved ergonomics, and superior intraoperative control. Robotic donor hepatectomy and graft implantation reduce morbidity, optimize vascular and biliary anastomoses, and support faster postoperative recovery. Integration of artificial intelligence and telemedicine offers real-time guidance, advanced surgical metrics, and predictive modeling, facilitating safer procedures and structured surgeon training. As robotic platforms evolve, they promise to redefine liver transplantation standards, emphasizing precision, safety, and improved patient outcomes.
