Initial experience of Chinese surgical robot “Micro Hand S″ assisted versus open and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer: Short-term outcomes in a single center

Abstract Background As the first domestically produced Chinese surgical robot for clinical use, the Micro Hand S robot has been applied to total mesorectal excision (TME) for rectal cancer in our center since 2017. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the Micro Hand S robot-assisted TME (R-TME) in comparison with laparoscopic TME (L-TME).Methods Between May 2017 and February 2018, patients who underwent R-TME and L-TME in the Third Xiangya Hospital were included in this study. The data including intraoperative outcomes, postoperative outcomes, pathological outcomes, and functional outcomes were analyzed and compared. Results Totally, 30 patients underwent L-TME and 21 patients underwent R-TME. The patient characteristics of the two groups were similar. Regarding intraoperative and postoperative outcomes, the R-TME group had significantly less blood loss (95.2 vs. 130.0 ml, p = 0.022), shorter time to first flatus (2.1 vs. 2.9 d, p = 0.017) and first liquid intake (2.8 vs. 3.7 d, p = 0.027) than the L-TME group. There was no significant difference in the operative time, conversion, protective ileostomy, length of hospital stay, pain score, complications, and 30-day mortality between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, the pathological and functional outcomes also did not differ significantly.Conclusion The Micro Hand S robot-assisted total mesorectal excision is safe and feasible with short-term outcomes comparable to laparoscopic surgery. Prospective and large sample size trials are needed to further confirm this conclusion.

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Short-Term Outcomes of Robotic versus Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer: A Cohort Study

The American Surgeon ◽

10.1177/000313481908500336 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 85 (3) ◽

pp. 294-302

Author(s):

Wen-Han Liu ◽

Pei-Jing Yan ◽

Dong-Ping Hu ◽

Peng-Hui Jin ◽

Yao-Chun Lv ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rectal Cancer ◽

Total Mesorectal Excision ◽

Recovery Time ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Operation Time ◽

Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision ◽

Intestinal Function ◽

Mesorectal Excision ◽

Short Term ◽

Function Recovery

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the intestinal function recovery time and other short-term outcomes between robotic-assisted total mesorectal excision (R-TME) and laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (L-TME) for rectal cancer. This is a retrospective study using a prospectively collected database. Patients’ records were obtained from Gansu Provincial Hospital between July 2015 and October 2017. Eighty patients underwent R-TME, and 116 with the same histopathological stage of the tumor underwent an L-TME. Both operations were performed by the same surgeon, comparing intra- and postoperative outcomes intergroups. The time to the first passage of flatus ( P < 0.001), the time to the first postoperative oral fluid intake ( P < 0.001), and the length of hospital stay ( P < 0.01) of the R-TME group were about three days faster than those in the L-TME group. The rate of conversion to open laparotomy ( P = 0.038) and postoperative urinary retention ( P = 0.016) were significantly lower in the R-TME group than in the L-TME group. Intraoperative blood loss of the R-TME group was more than that of the L-TME group ( P < 0.01).The operation time, number of lymph nodes harvested, and rate of positive circumferential resection margin were similar intergroup. The total cost of the R-TME group was higher than that of the L-TME group, but with a lack of statistical significance (85,623.91 ± 13,310.50 vs 67,356.79 ± 17,107.68 CNY, P = 0.084). The R-TME is safe and effective and has better postoperative short-term outcomes and faster intestinal function recovery time, contrasting with the L-TME. The large, multicenter, prospective studies were needed to validate the advantages of robotic surgery system used in rectal cancer.

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