Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery Clip Evaluation: Can We Improve Our Surgical Technique, Reduce Costs and Waste With the Aesculap U-clip Versus the Tele-Flex Hemolock Clip?

Intracorporeal suturing and knot tying during robotic prostatectomy and laparoscopic and robotic renal surgery have historically been considered the most technically challenging and time consuming aspects of these procedures. With improved operative technique as well as the use of innovative surgical devices, vascular control during these surgeries is often less cumbersome as compared with traditional techniques. Current standard methods of hemostasis include the use of clips, of which the most popular design is the Hemolock, a locking, nonabsorbable plastic clip, or the use of the very expensive endomechanical stapler. Unfortunately while they are associated with time savings in the operating room, there is a great deal of disposable costs associated with these various devices as well as a not insignificant device malfunction rate reported in the literature. The aim of this case-controlled study is to evaluate the Aesculap U-clip device compared to our current technique of vascular control using the Teleflex Hemolock clip device during minimally invasive genitourinary surgery.