[VIDEO] Port placement side docking

Employing a separate 5-mm conventional laparoscope via the assistant port allows for safe placement of robotic ports and instruments under direct laparoscopic visualization. The robotic ports are generally placed such that they are in a straight line to minimize arms clashing. The ports are generally placed at the level of the umbilicus. They should, however, be adjusted cephalad, to accommodate complex surgical cases such as large fibroids, obese patients, or para-aortic lymph node dissection.