Robotic surgery of the skull base.

Minimally invasive skull base surgery has advanced substantially with the advent of endoscopic technology, novel instrumentation, and intraoperative image-guidance capabilities. Robotic technology has been accepted into the surgeon's armamentarium, with its implementation into abdominal, thoracic, and head and neck surgery. However, the application of surgical robotics to the skull base has yet to be achieved. This article highlights current preclinical research and applications of robotic surgery to the skull base.