Robotic rectal resection for cancer: a prospective cohort study to analyze surgical, clinical and oncological outcomes.

1. Int J Surg. 2014 Dec;12(12):1456-61. doi: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2014.11.012. Epub 2014 Nov 13.

Robotic rectal resection for cancer: a prospective cohort study to analyze surgical, clinical and oncological outcomes.

Author information:

  • 1Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 2Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 3Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 4Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 5Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 6Department of Digestive Surgery and Liver Unit, St. Maria Hospital, Terni, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 7Department of General and Oncologic Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 8Department of General and Oncologic Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 9Department of General and Oncologic Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 10Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 11Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
  • 12Department of Surgical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Abstract

AIM:

Robotic systems are getting widely spread in recent years given the different technical advantages over traditional laparoscopy. Rectal surgery seems to benefit from this approach, for its ability to easily work in a confined space such as the pelvic cavity. The objective is to present results obtained by the robotic approach in patients with rectal cancer and to give technical considerations.

METHOD:

Data were prospectively collected in order to evaluate surgical and oncological outcomes. Subjects underwent robotic rectal resection in the period between June 2011 and June 2014 at the Department of Digestive Surgery, "S. Maria" Hospital - Terni (Italy).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Patient characteristics and tumor, overall operative time, conversion to open surgery, site of mini-laparotomy for specimen extraction, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative complications, time to first bowel movement, time-to-liquid and solid intake, postoperative complications, mortality, hospital stay, thirty-day complications, histopathological examination.

RESULTS:

40 consecutive patients underwent robotic resection of the rectum. Median operative time was 340 min (235-460 min), no procedure was converted. Median hospital stay was 5 days (3-18 days). Mesorectum resection was complete in all patients. Median number of harvested lymph nodes was 19 (6-35), median distal resection margin was 4 cm (2-8 cm).

CONCLUSION:

Robotic rectal surgery is safe and feasible in particular by facilitating the surgeon during the delicate phases of tissue dissection.

Copyright © 2014 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PMID: 25463766 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]