This Viewpoint examines the risk of laparoscopic skill decay ('deskilling') among surgeons as robotic surgery platforms are rapidly adopted, reducing laparoscopic case volumes.
The authors argue that falling laparoscopic case volumes driven by robotic dominance pose a hidden but material risk to surgical proficiency, and propose strategies to preserve laparoscopic skills.
As a Viewpoint, this piece offers expert opinion without primary data, quantitative outcomes, or a systematic review of evidence on deskilling rates.
Surgical programs and training directors should actively monitor laparoscopic case volumes and implement deliberate practice strategies to prevent skill decay as robotic platforms expand. Maintaining laparoscopic proficiency is critical for situations where robotic systems are unavailable or must be abandoned mid-procedure.
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