Overview of the “Robotic Anesthetic System” Clinical Trial at the University of the Ryukyus

The robotic anesthetic system Dogen is an anesthetic maintenance system that automatically administers propofol, remifentanil, and rocuronium to patients based on electroencephalographic and muscle relaxation monitoring. In this clinical trial, we tested six cases of manual anesthesia versus robotic anesthesia using this system to verify its efficacy and safety. Although the system was able to provide generally stable anesthetic management in most cases, the analgesic doses may have been increased more than necessary in one case because of indirect effects of ephedrine on the central nervous system and the bispectral index value. This robotic anesthetic system has the potential to reduce the risk of human error and to improve the productivity of anesthesiologists, but an adequate knowledge of anesthesiology is essential for its use.