Introduction of robotic surgery for endometrial cancer into a Brazilian cancer service: a randomized trial evaluating perioperative clinical outcomes and costs

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome and costs after the implementation of robotic surgery in the treatment of endometrial cancer, compared to the traditional laparoscopic approach. METHODS: In this prospective randomized study from 2015 to 2017, eighty-nine patients with endometrial carcinoma that was clinically restricted to the uterus were randomized in robotic surgery (44 cases) and traditional laparoscopic surgery (45 cases). We compared the number of retrieved lymph nodes, total time of surgery, time of each surgical step, blood loss, length of hospital stay, major and minor complications, conversion rates and costs. RESULTS: The ages of the patients ranged from 47 to 69 years. The median body mass index was 31.1 (21.4-54.2) in the robotic surgery arm and 31.6 (22.9-58.6) in the traditional laparoscopic arm. The median tumor sizes were 4.0 (1.5-10.0) cm and 4.0 (0.0-9.0) cm in the robotic and traditional laparoscopic surgery groups, respectively. The median total numbers of lymph nodes retrieved were 19 (3-61) and 20 (4-34) in the robotic and traditional laparoscopic surgery arms, respectively. The median total duration of the whole procedure was 319.5 (170-520) minutes in the robotic surgery arm and 248 (85-465) minutes in the traditional laparoscopic arm. Eight major complications were registered in each group. The total cost was 41% higher for robotic surgery than for traditional laparoscopic surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic surgery for endometrial cancer presented equivalent perioperative morbidity to that of traditional laparoscopic surgery. The duration and total cost of robotic surgery were higher than those of traditional laparoscopic surgery.

Single-Site Robotic Radical Hysterectomy and Sentinel Lymphnode Biopsy in Cervical Cancer: A Case Report / Histerectomia radical robótica de portal único e biópsia de linfonodo sentinela: relato de caso

ABSTRACT Robotic surgeries for cervical cancer have several advantages compared with lapa-rotomic or laparoscopic surgeries. Robotic single-site surgery has many advantages compared with the multiport approach, but its safety and feasibility are not established in radical oncologic surgeries. We report a case of a Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IB1 cervical carcinoma whose radical hysterectomy, sentinel lymph node mapping, and lymph node dissection were entirely performed by robotic single-site approach. The patient recovered very well, and was discharged from the hospital within 24 hours.

RESUMO A cirurgia robótica para carcinoma do colo do útero apresenta vantagens quando comparada com cirurgias laparotômicas ou laparoscópicas. A cirurgia robótica de portal único tem muitas vantagens quando comparada com cirurgias de múltiplos acessos, porém a segurança e a viabilidade deste procedimento ainda não estão estabelecidas para cirurgias oncológicas radicais. Apresentamos um caso de carcinoma de colo do útero, tratado por histerectomia radical, identificação e biópsia de linfonodo sentinela e linfadenectomia pélvica realizada totalmente por cirurgia robótica de acesso único. A paciente recuperou-se bem e recebeu alta no primeiro dia pós-operatório.