Robotic rectal surgery

Abstract

Robotic surgery has been applied widely in pelvic surgery such as prostatectomy and hysterectomy. The da Vinci® system provides a stable camera platform, three-dimensional imaging, excellent ergonomics, tremor elimination, ambidextrous capability, motion scaling, and instruments with multiple degrees of freedom. Its application in rectal surgery can theoretically lead to similar advantages as in other radical pelvic surgery. Recently, robotic surgery has been applied more widely to rectal surgery. It has been demonstrated to be a safe option. However, despite these technological advantages, most studies did not report the clinical advantages of robotic colorectal surgery compared to standard laparoscopic colorectal surgery. With experience of over 60 robotic rectal resections, the results will be presented. The presentation will address not only the safety and the feasibility but also the real and potential benefits of robotic rectal surgery. The preliminary results of our randomized trial comparing laparoscopic and robotic surgery for rectal cancer will also be discussed.