Neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy followed by robot esophagectomy has no effect on short-term results compared with surgery alone.

BACKGROUND: To determine the safety and efficacy of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (NCI). METHODS: Data from patients who underwent RAMIE between January 2020 and June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The oncological and operative outcomes of the NCI and surgery-only (S) groups were compared by both unmatched and 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients with ESCC who underwent three-incision RAMIE were included in this study (143 patients in the S group and 58 patients in the NCI group). Of the 58 patients who underwent NCI, a pathologically complete response (pCR) (ypT0N0) was identified in 14 (24.1%) patients. The patients in the NCI group were younger than those in the S group (p = 0.017), and had more advanced cT (p < 0.001) and cN stage diseases (p = 0.002). After 1:1 PSM of the confounders, 55 patients were allocated to each of the NCI and S groups. No significant differences were found in oncological and operative results, including surgical blood loss, operative time, and lymph node harvest (all p > 0.05). However, the NCI group exhibited a lower rate of pulmonary complications than the S group (3.6% vs. 14.5%, p = 0.047). No significant difference between the groups was found for other complications (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that NCI could result in a high pCR rate without increased complications in locally advanced ESCC. RAMIE is safe and feasible in patients with ESCC after NCI.

Proposal of set-up standardization for general surgery procedures with the CMR Versius system, a new robotic platform: our initial experience.

BACKGROUND: The article describes our initial experience using CMR Versius platform for several procedures in general surgery. METHODS: Between September 2022 and April 2023, seventy patients underwent robotic surgery in a multi-robotic referral center (San Paolo University Hospital, Milan, Italy). Three surgeons with only laparoscopic experience performed 24 cholecystectomies, 13 inguinal hernia repairs, 9 ventral hernia repairs, 7 right hemicolectomies, 11 left hemicolectomies, 1 sigmoidectomy, 1 ileocecal resection, 1 ventral rectopexy, 1 Nissen fundoplication, 1 total splenectomy, and 1 exploration with multiple biopsies. RESULTS: All surgeries were full-robotic, with only one conversion to laparoscopy. The short length of stay and low rate of severe morbidity are promising findings. Although operative time was lengthened, clinical outcomes were not affected. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience demonstrates that the adoption of Versius system is safe and feasible in general surgery. The standardization of port placement and BSU set-up can certainly reduce the operative time.

Revolutionizing urology: the advancements and applications of robotic platforms.

Robot-assisted surgery is developing as an acme of minimally invasive surgery, given its utmost dominance over laparoscopic surgery. The objective was to review the status of robotic surgery in urological practice with its advantages and disadvantages in current scenario. We conducted a literature search using MEDLINE and identified 72 articles which were relevant to urology. Single-port and various multiport robotic platforms like Da Vinci, Versius, Hugo RAS, Revo-I, Senhance, Mantra, Avatera, Hinotori, and MicroSurge are described with pros and cons. With a surge in different medical surgical robots purging into the market and a race to become the next standard of care in robotic surgery, it is only a matter of time when robotic surgery becomes financially comparable to laparoscopic surgeries.

Clinical efficacy of da Vinci Xi surgical system assisted programmed six-hole method anterior resection of rectal cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical efficacy of da Vinci Xi surgical system assisted programmed six-hole method anterior resection of rectal cancer.Methods:The retrospec-tive cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 102 patients with middle and low rectal cancer who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from August 2020 to June 2021 were collected. There were 62 males and 40 females, aged (53±12)years. Of the 102 patients, 51 cases undergoing da Vinci Xi surgical system assisted programmed six-hole method anterior resection of rectal cancer were divided into the robotic group and 51 cases undergoing laparoscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer were divided into the laparoscopic group. Observa-tion indicators: (1) treatment; (2) postoperative pathological examination; (3) follow-up. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Repeated measurement data were analyzed using the repeated ANOVA. Results:(1) Treatment. All patients of the two groups under-went radical resection of rectal cancer successfully, and none of patient with intraoperative blood transfusion, conversion to open surgery, and death within 30 days after surgery. The operation time, volume of intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, time to postoperative first flatus, time to postoperative first liquid food intake, time to postoperative catheter removal, cases with postoperative pain grading as grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, cost of treatment were (170±12)minutes, (73±50)mL, 23±6, (35.1±9.4)hours, (2.1±0.8)days, (2.9±2.7)days, 13, 15, 17, 6, (7.1±4.5) ten thousand yuan in patients of the robotic group, versus (153±22)minutes, (119±66) mL, 15±4, (40.7±1.9)hours, (2.9±0.4)days, (5.3±2.1)days, 6, 7, 26, 12, (6.7±1.6) ten thousand yuan in patients of the laparoscopic group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( t=6.79, -4.46,20.09, -3.01, -5.54, -16.69, Z=-2.87, t=4.22, P<0.05). (2) Postoperative patho-logical examination. The tumor diameter, length of specimen resected, distance of upper resection margin to tumor, distance of lower resection margin to tumor, cases with mesorectal specimens as integrity and mostly integrity, cases with tumor differentiation as high differentiation, moderate differentiation, low differentiation, cases with postoperative TNM staging as stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲ were (3.8±1.1)cm, (18.7±3.2)cm, (11.8±3.6)cm, (2.7±0.8)cm, 48, 3, 4, 41, 6, 6, 17, 28 in patients of the robotic group, versus (3.7±1.0)cm, (18.3±2.8)cm, (10.2±2.7)cm, (2.5±0.6)cm, 46, 5, 6, 39, 6, 5,20, 26 in patients of the laparoscopic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( t=1.72, 1.29, 1.64, 1.11, χ2=0.14, Z=-0.42, -0.26, P>0.05). Cases with positive circumferential margin and cases with destruction of mesentery was 0 and 0 in patients of the robotic group, versus 1 and 1 in patients of the laparoscopic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). (3) Follow-up. All patients in the two groups were followed up for 12 months after surgery and none of patient had postoperative local recurrence and distant metastasis of tumors. The anal incontinence score, low anterior resection syndrome score, international prostate symptom score, night urination score, international index of erectile score, female sexual function index score in patients of the robotic group were 0, 12.25±1.08, 4.43±0.33, 0.49±0.09, 24.07±2.75, 65.84±1.79 before surgery and 1.34±0.11, 18.11±3.54, 4.03±0.26, 1.08±0.28, 22.63±2.03, 38.57±6.13 at postoperative 12 months, respectively. The above indicators in patients of the laparoscopic group were 0, 12.60±1.11, 4.56±0.36, 0.46±0.07, 23.11±2.77, 66.31±1.73 before surgery and 1.99±1.33,20.85±6.19, 6.43±1.78, 2.27±0.23, 21.00±2.73, 27.62±8.20 at postoperative 12 months, respectively. There were significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The oncological effects of da Vinci Xi surgical system assisted programmed six-hole method anterior resection of rectal cancer and lapa-roscopic anterior resection of rectal cancer are comparable. However, robotic surgery is superior to laparoscopic surgery in terms of intraoperative bleeding, lymph node dissection, gastrointestinal function recovery, and pelvic autonomic nerve protection.

The short-term outcomes of totally robotic surgical system and robotic surgical system assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the short-term outcomes of totally robotic surgical system and robotic surgical system assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 290 patients who under-went robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer in the First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from January 2018 to November 2021 were collected. There were 208 males and 82 females, aged 58 (range, 24?84)years. Of the 290 patients, 125 patients undergoing totally robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy combined with reconstruction of digestive tract were divided into the totally robot group, and 165 patients undergoing robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy combined with a small midline incision-assisted reconstruction of digestive tract were divided into the robotic-assisted group. Observation indicators: (1) surgical and postoperative situations; (2) postoperative complications. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the non-parameter rank sum test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Results:(1) Surgical and postoperative situations. The operation time, volume of intraoperative blood loss, length of incision, duration of postoperative analgesic using, time to postoperative gastric tube removal, time to postoperative initial water intake, time to postoperative first anal flatus, duration of post-operative hospital stay were (246±43)minutes, (104±51)mL, 4(range, 3?6)cm, (2.2±0.5)days, 36(range, 10?112)hours, 62(range, 32?205)hours, 63(range, 18?138)hours, 8(range, 6?50)days in patients of the totally robot group, versus (296±59)minutes, (143±87)mL, 6(range, 3?13)cm, (3.6±0.7)days, 42(range, 12?262)hours, 90(range, 18?262)hours, 80(range, 16?295)hours, 9(range, 6?63)days in patients of the robotic-assisted group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( t=8.04, 4.42, Z=?13.98, t=18.46, Z=?5.47, ?5.87, ?6.14, ?4.04, P<0.05). (2) Post-operative complications. Cases with systemic related complications and cases with pulmonary infection were 7 and 4 in patients of the totally robot group, versus 31 and 16 in patients of the robotic-assisted group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( χ2=10.86, 4.68, P<0.05). Further analysis showed that there were significant differences in age ≥60 years, body mass index ≥25 kg/m 2, tumor diameter ≥3 cm, TNM staging as stage Ⅲ of cases with postoperative complications between the totally robot group and the robotic-assisted group ( odds ratio=0.44, 0.17, 0.40, 0.31, 95 confidence interval as 0.20?1.00, 0.03?0.88, 0.18?0.89, 0.11?0.84, P<0.05). Conclusion:Totally robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer is safe and feasible with advantages of minimal trauma and quick recovery, especially for patients as age ≥60 years, body mass index ≥25 kg/cm 2, tumor diameter ≥3 cm and TNM stage Ⅲ in complication controlling.

Perioperative efficacy analysis of robotic surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the perioperative efficacy of robot surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy.Methods:The propensity score matching and retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 103 patients who underwent robot surgical system assisted hepatectomy in Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Affiliated with the Zhejiang University School of Medicine from March 2016 to December 2021 were collected. There were 54 males and 49 females, aged 56(range, 44?64)years. Of the 103 patients, 55 cases undergoing robot surgical system assisted anatomic hepatectomy were divided into the anatomic group, and 48 cases undergoing robot surgical system assisted non-anatomic hepatectomy were divided into the non-anatomic group. Observation indicators: (1) propensity score matching and comparison of general data of patients between the two groups after matching; (2) intraoperative conditions; (3) perioperative complications. Propensity score matching was done by the 1:1 nearest neighbor matching method. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were expressed as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. Results:(1) Propensity score matching and compari-son of general data of patients between the two groups after matching. Of the 103 patients, 94 cases were successfully matched, including 47 cases in the anatomic group and 47 cases in the non-anatomic group. The elimination of preoperative body mass index, preoperative platelet and preoperative albumin confounding bias ensured comparability between the two groups after propensity score matching. (2) Intraoperative conditions. After propensity score matching, the operation time and volume of intraoperative blood loss were 175(range, 120?240)minutes and 50(range, 50?100)mL in patients of the anatomic group, versus 155(range, 105?190)minutes and 100(range, 50?200)mL in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=1.97, 2.49, P<0.05). (3) Perioperative complications. After propensity score matching, cases with pleural fluid and/or ascites, case with biliary fistula, case with thrombosis, case with peritoneal infection, case with incision infection were 11, 1, 2, 4, 1 in patients of the anatomic group, versus 12, 0, 4, 1, 0 in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). Cases with complications classified as grade Ⅰ, grade Ⅱ, grade Ⅲ, grade Ⅳ of the Clavien-Dindo classification were 33, 14, 0, 0 in patients of the anatomic group, versus 28, 14, 3, 2 in patients of the non-anatomic group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( Z=?1.38, P>0.05). Conclusions:Robotic surgical system assisted anatomic and non-anatomic hepatectomy are safe and feasible for clinical application. Compared with robot surgical system assisted non-anatomic hepatectomy, patients under-going robot surgical system assisted anatomic hepatectomy have long operation time and less volume of intraoperative blood loss.

Analysis of the efficacy of the da Vinci robot in surgery for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors.

BACKGROUND: The present research is designed to evaluate the short-term outcome of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for the treatment of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on 39 consecutive patients with mediastinal neurogenic tumors after RATS treatment completed by the same operator in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from January 2016 to September 2022. There were 22 males and 17 females with a mean age of (35.1 ± 6.9) years in this analysis report. The tumors of the patients were localized and evaluated preoperatively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or enhanced CT. RESULTS: All 39 patients successfully underwent the resection of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors under RATS, and no conversion to thoracotomy occurred during the operations. The average operative time was (62.1 ± 17.2) min, the average docking time was (10.1 ± 2.5) min, the average intraoperative bleeding was (32.8 ± 19.5) ml, the average 24-h postoperative chest drainage was (67.4 ± 27.9) ml, the average postoperative chest drainage time was (2.2 ± 1.3) days and the average post-operative hospital stay was (3.2 ± 1.3) days. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients, including 2 patients with transient Horner's syndrome after surgery and 1 patient with transient anhidrosis of the affected upper limb after surgery. CONCLUSION: RATS for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors is safe, effective, feasible and bring the superiority of robotic surgical system into full play.

A case of robot-assisted adrenalectomy performed for an adrenal tumor (anastomosing hemangioma) exceeding 7 cm.

Introduction: Anastomosing hemangioma in the adrenal area is extremely rare. We report a large anastomosing hemangioma in the adrenal area that underwent robot-assisted adrenalectomy. Case presentation: A 49-year-old man with left back pain underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that revealed a tumor in the left adrenal area; it was diagnosed as nonfunctional endocrinologically. However, the major axis of the tumor increased from 64 to 72 mm during the 4-month period. Robot-assisted left adrenalectomy was performed. Although the large tumor adhered to the surrounding tissues, it was safely resected by the effective use of an extra robotic arm. An anastomosing hemangioma was diagnosed since there were no malignant findings. Conclusion: Robotic surgical systems may serve as an effective treatment option for large adrenal tumors, and our report is the first robot-assisted adrenalectomy performed on an anastomosing hemangioma.

Early evaluation of a next-generation surgical system in robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy: A prospective clinical cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to demonstrate the safe and effective use of the Versius surgical system (CMR Surgical, Cambridge, UK) in robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy. This surgical robot was developed iteratively with input from surgeons to improve surgical outcomes and end-user experience. We report data from the gynecology cohort of an early clinical trial designed in broad alignment with IDEAL-D (Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term follow-up - Devices) stage 2b (Exploration). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study is registered in the Indian clinical trials register (CTRI/2019/02/017872). Adult women requiring total hysterectomy who provided informed consent and met the eligibility criteria underwent procedures at one of three hospitals in India. Five surgeons performed robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomies using the device from March 2019 to September 2020. The primary endpoint was rate of unplanned conversion to conventional laparoscopic or open surgery. Adverse events were adjudicated by an independent clinical events committee using endoscope video recordings and clinical notes. RESULTS: In total, 144 women underwent surgery (median age: 44 years [range: 28-78]; median body mass index 25.8 kg/m2 [range: 14.3-47.8]). The rate of unplanned conversion to conventional laparoscopy was 2/144 (1.4%); neither conversion was device related. No surgery was converted to open. In total, 13 adverse events occurred among seven (4.9%) patients, comprising seven serious adverse events and six adverse events. One serious adverse event was deemed device-related. Two patients were readmitted to hospital within 30 days; both made a full recovery. No patients died within 90 days of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The device provides a safe and effective option for total laparoscopic hysterectomy; these findings support its continued implementation in larger patient cohorts and expansion in other major minimal access indications.

Clinical outcome and influencing factor analysis of one anastomosis duodenal switch for obesity / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcome and influencing factor of one-anastomosis duodenal switch (OADS) for obesity.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinical data of 104 obesity patients who underwent OADS in the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University from October 2018 to June 2021 were collected. There were 42 males and 62 females, aged 33(range, 18?66)years. The clinical outcome of each patient was evaluated using Textbook Outcome (TO). Observation indicators: (1) treatment situations for patients; (2) TO situa-tions; (3) analysis of factors affecting postoperative TO. Follow-up was conducted using outpatient examination or telephone interview to detect postoperative complication of patients up to November 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Count data were described as absolute numbers or percentages, and comparison between groups was conducted using chi-square test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using the binary Logistic regression model. Results:(1) Treatment situations for patients. All 104 patients under-went OADS without conversion to laparotomy or death of patient. The operation time and duration of postoperative hospital stay of the 104 patients were (187±39)minutes and 6(range, 4?55)days, respectively. Two of the 104 patients were readmitted. The experiences of surgeons on OADS was (53±30)cases. There were 82 patients underwent OADS using the Da Vinci robotic surgical system, while there were 22 patients underwent OADS using laparoscopic surgery system. The complication rate of 104 patients was 7.69%(8/104). Cases with stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲb and stage Ⅳ complications of the Clavien Dindo classification were 5, 2 and 1, respectively. (2) TO situation. Of the 104 patients, 62 cases achieved TO, while 42 cases did not achieve TO. The operation time, retention time of abdominal drainage tube, duration of postoperative hospital stay, experiences of surgeons on OADS, number of OADS for surgeons using Da Vinci robotic surgical system were (166±26)minutes, 0(range, 0?7)days, 6(range, 4?7)days, 62±28, 54 in patients achieved TO, versus (218±34)minutes, 3 (range, 0?11)days, 8(range, 5?55)days, 38±27, 28 in patients not achieved TO, showing significant differences in the above indicators between them ( t=?8.81, Z=?3.63, ?5.33, t=4.27, χ2=6.27, P<0.05). Cases with complications were 0 in patients achieved TO, versus 8 in patients not achieved TO, showing a significant difference between them ( P<0.05). (3) Analysis of factors affecting postoperative TO. Results of multivariate analysis showed that the experiences of surgeons on OADS was an independent influencing factor for postoperative TO in patients undergoing OADS ( odds ratio=1.04, 95% confidence interval as 1.01?1.06, P<0.05). Conclusions:OADS is safe and feasible for obesity patients with low postoperative complication incidence and satisfactory clinical outcome. The experiences of surgeons on OADS is an independent influencing factor for postoperative TO in patients undergoing OADS.

Application of robotic surgical system in the treatment of gastric cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Since the first report of robotic surgical system in gastric cancer by Hashizume in 2002, the new generation of minimally invasive technology represented by robotic surgical system has developed rapidly in gastric cancer. The new generation of minimally invasive technology is cha-racterized by faster recovery of patients, better of clinical outcomes and long-term efficacy. In the past 20 years, robotic surgical system has made great progress in clinical application, which is expected to solve the disadvantages and problems of laparoscopic surgery. Experienced surgeon teams have accumulated lots of research experiences in clinical application of robotic surgical system. Robotic surgical system can provide a technologically superior surgical environment for minimally invasive surgery, which could be an effective and feasible alternative to conventional radical gastrectomy. The author investigates the hot issues of robotic radical gastrectomy including the feasibility, safety, short- and long-term outcome and current research status.

Application value of Da Vinci robotic surgical system in radical resection of perihilar cholan-giocarcinoma / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the application value of Da Vinci robotic surgical system in radical resection of perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA).Methods:The retrospective and descrip-tive study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 10 patients undergoing Da Vinci robotic radical resetion of pCCA in Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology from September 2018 to March 2021 were collected. There were 6 males and 4 females, aged (58±7)years. Observtaion indicators: (1) surgical situations; (2) postoperative situations; (3) follow-up. The patients were followed up by telephone interview and outpatient service to detect survival of patients and tumor recurrence up to June 2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed as Mean± SD, and measurement data with skewed distribu-tion were represented as M(range). Count data were represented as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Surgical situations: 10 patients underwent Da Vinci robotic radical resection of pCCA succe-ssfully, without conversion to laparotomy or intraoperative blood transfusion. The operation time of 10 patients was (465±87)minutes, and the volume of intraoperative blood loss was (167±81)mL. Of the 10 patients, 1 case of Bismuth type Ⅲb had a positive surgical margin and the remaining 9 cases had R 0 resection. (2) Postoperative situations: the time to gastric tube extraction was (2.3±1.9)days, and the duration of postoperative hospital stay of the 10 patients was (19.9±9.0)days. Among the 10 patients, there was no second operation or perioperative death. Of the 10 patients, 6 cases had perioperative complications, including 5 cases wth pleural effusion, 3 cases with peritoneal effusion, and 1 case with intestinal obstruction, some patients had multiple complications. After symptomatic conservative treatment, pleural effusion and peritoneal effusion disappeared and intestinal obstruction was improved. None of the 10 patients had serious complica-tions such as bleeding, biliary fistula or intestinal fistula. (3) Follow-up: 10 patients were followed up for 3-20 months, with a median follow-up time of 11 months. During the follow-up, 3 of 10 patients had tumor recurrence which occurred in intrahepatic bile duct of residual liver, and no implantation metastasis was found in the rest of abdominal cavity. Of the 7 unrecurrent patients, 1 case died of gastrointestinal bleeding and multiple organ failure. Nine of 10 patients survived well. Conclusion:The Da Vinci robotic surgical system used for radical operation of pCCA is feasible.

Current Status of Transoral Surgery for Patients With Early-Stage Pharyngeal and Laryngeal Cancers in Japan.

As the laryngopharynx is closely related to swallowing, speech, and phonation, it is necessary to consider not only disease control but also a minimally invasive approach for the treatment of laryngopharyngeal cancer. Transoral surgery has been reported to be a minimally invasive method for treating these diseases. Transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS) and endoscopic laryngo-pharyngeal surgery (ELPS) have been developed in Japan and recently emerged as treatments for patients with early stage pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers. However, securing an appropriate field of view and a narrow operating space during TOVS or ELPS are critical issues to be resolved for these surgeries. The clinical significance and safety of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) using the da Vinci Surgical System have been widely reported to provide surgeons with increased visualization and magnification, resulting in precise surgical margins and rapid functional recovery. In this context, a multi-institutional clinical study was conducted to evaluate the treatment outcomes of TORS for the treatment of laryngopharyngeal cancer in Japan, and the da Vinci Surgical System for oral robot-assisted surgery for these diseases was approved by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Agency in August 2018. This review provides an overview of the therapeutic effects of TOVS, ELPS, and TORS, with a particular focus on these therapeutic results in Japan.

[Chinese expert consensus on intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy (2021 edition)].

The robotic surgical system applied to gastrectomy is regarded as a safe technique which has similar short- and long-term outcomes compared to laparoscopic and open gastrectomy. With the iteration of anastomotic staplers and improvement of anastomotic skills, coupled with the flexible robot's rotatable device making the manual intracorporal anastomosis easier, gastrointestinal reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy has also started to move toward the era of complete intracorporal anastomosis. In order to further standardize the indications and operating points, the Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery Group of Surgical Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Gastrointestinal Surgery Group of Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, the Digestive Tract Cancer Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association, and Cancer Gastroenterology Society of Chinese Anticancer Association jointly organized domestic experts in general surgery field to formulate the Chinese expert consensus on intracorporal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy (2021 edition). The definition of intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy is that all surgical steps of digestive reconstruction are done totally in the abdominal cavity by robotic system or all steps mentioned above except jejunojejunal extracorporeal anastomosis. The digestive reconstructions mainly include Billroth I anastomosis, Billroth II anastomosis, Billroth II+ Braun anastomosis, Roux-en-Y anastomosis, Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis after distal gastrectomy; double-tract anastomosis, esophagogastric anastomosis by stapler or hand-sewn technique (double flap gastroesophagostomy) after proximal gastrectomy; FEEA method, π-type anastomosis, overlap method and modified procedures, Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis, Parisi's double-loop reconstruction after total gastrectomy. Compared with extracorporeal digestive reconstruction, intracorporeal digestive reconstruction operated by robotic system can minimize the surgical incision, reduce the risk of abdominal exposure and accelerate postoperative recovery, etc. Previous studies have demonstrated promising results. We believe that the publication of the consensus will guide surgeons to break through the technical barriers of intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy, which will be more and more widespread with the gradual maturity of domestic robotic systems by bringing less medical costs.

Efficacy of da Vinci robot-assisted lymph node surgery than conventional axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer - A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: da Vinci robot-assisted axillary lymph node dissection (dVALND) can be a minimally invasive technique to minimize post-operative complications. OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy of dVALND in breast cancer (BC) patients for mitigating the postoperative complications than conventional ALND. METHODS: Total 60 female patients with BC were admitted to our hospitals since September 2018, and these patients segregated into two groups of 30 patients each. Modified radical mastectomy for BC was performed to the patients in both groups. In Group 1 (control group), ALND was performed using conventional mode of axillary lymph node surgery. In Group 2 (Test group), the dVALND was performed using da Vinci robot-assisted surgery. Wound healing, aesthetic effect and patient's satisfaction were evaluated after conventional method and dVALND. RESULTS: Postoperative complications viz., wound infection (1/30 (3.33%), p < 0.05), fat necrosis (3/30 (10%), p < 0.05) and lymphedema of upper limbs (2/30 (6.67%), p < 0.05) were observed in dVALND than conventional surgery. Local recurrence or metastasis was minimized and overall aesthetic effect not observed during follow-up. CONCLUSION: dVALND improved the overall patient's quality of life by mitigating postoperative complications than ALND.

Comparison of KD-SR-01 robotic partial nephrectomy and 3D-laparoscopic partial nephrectomy from an operative and ergonomic perspective: A prospective randomized controlled study in porcine models.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the feasibility, validity and security of a new robot platform called KD-SR-01 and compare relative merits of KD-SR-01 robotic partial nephrectomy (KD-RPN) and 3D-Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy (3D-LPN). METHODS: Twelve porcine models were randomly and equally divided for KD-RPN and 3D-LPN. The perioperative outcomes, physical and mental workload of the surgeon were compared. Physical workload was evaluated with surface electromyography. Mental workload was evaluated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index (NASA-TLX). RESULTS: All surgeries were performed successfully. The average docking time of KD-RPN was 6 min. The estimated blood loss was lower in KD-RPN (p < 0.05). There were no differences in all the other operative variables (p > 0.05). KD-RPN showed advantages in physical workload and was significantly superior in mental workload (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: KD-RPN is technically feasible, valid and safe in porcine models. It's comparable from operative perspective while KD-RPN had advantages over 3D-LPN from ergonomic perspective.

Chinese expert consensus on intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy (2021 edition) / 中华胃肠外科杂志

The robotic surgical system applied to gastrectomy is regarded as a safe technique which has similar short- and long-term outcomes compared to laparoscopic and open gastrectomy. With the iteration of anastomotic staplers and improvement of anastomotic skills, coupled with the flexible robot's rotatable device making the manual intracorporal anastomosis easier, gastrointestinal reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy has also started to move toward the era of complete intracorporal anastomosis. In order to further standardize the indications and operating points, the Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery Group of Surgical Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Gastrointestinal Surgery Group of Surgery Branch of Chinese Medical Association, the Digestive Tract Cancer Committee of Chinese Research Hospital Association, and Cancer Gastroenterology Society of Chinese Anticancer Association jointly organized domestic experts in general surgery field to formulate the Chinese expert consensus on intracorporal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy (2021 edition). The definition of intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy is that all surgical steps of digestive reconstruction are done totally in the abdominal cavity by robotic system or all steps mentioned above except jejunojejunal extracorporeal anastomosis. The digestive reconstructions mainly include Billroth I anastomosis, Billroth II anastomosis, Billroth II+ Braun anastomosis, Roux-en-Y anastomosis, Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis after distal gastrectomy; double-tract anastomosis, esophagogastric anastomosis by stapler or hand-sewn technique (double flap gastroesophagostomy) after proximal gastrectomy; FEEA method, π-type anastomosis, overlap method and modified procedures, Uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis, Parisi's double-loop reconstruction after total gastrectomy. Compared with extracorporeal digestive reconstruction, intracorporeal digestive reconstruction operated by robotic system can minimize the surgical incision, reduce the risk of abdominal exposure and accelerate postoperative recovery, etc. Previous studies have demonstrated promising results. We believe that the publication of the consensus will guide surgeons to break through the technical barriers of intracorporeal digestive reconstruction after robotic gastrectomy, which will be more and more widespread with the gradual maturity of domestic robotic systems by bringing less medical costs.

Efficacy observation of Da Vinci robotic thyroidectomy in treatment of the unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To investigate the advantages of Da Vinci robotic thyroidectomy in treatment of the unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).Methods:The clinical data of 49 patients with unilateral thyroid cancer admitted to the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from June 2018 to March 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into Da Vinci robotic group (the experimental group, 18 cases) and conventional surgery group (the control group, 31 cases) according to the surgical method. The clinicopathological characteristics, perioperative and postoperative related indexes changes, length of hospital stay, incidence of surgical complications, and operation cost of both groups of patients were analyzed. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate postoperative pain.Results:There were statistically significant differences in age, marriage and education background of both groups (all P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the number of central lymph node dissection [(4.3±2.0) vs. (6.5±3.9)], operation time [198.5 min (166.3 min, 228.5 min) vs. 82.0 min (60.0 min, 102.0 min)], pain score of 24 h after surgery [3 scores (3 scores, 4 scores) vs. 2 scores (2 scores, 3 scores)], postoperative total drainage volume [49.0 ml (40.8 ml, 56.5 ml) vs. 37.0 ml, (29.0 ml, 44.0 ml)], operation cost [33,200 yuan (33,100 yuan, 34,000 yuan) vs. 5,200 yuan (4,200 yuan, 5,900 yuan)], and differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). No postoperative complications such as hemorrhage, fat liquefaction and subcutaneous ecchymosis occurred in all patients of the two groups. Conclusion:Da Vinci robotic thyroidectomy is safe and reliable in treatment of the unilateral PTMC, and it has good therapeutic effects.

Predictive value of postoperative C-reactive protein for serious complications after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the predictive value of postoperative C-reactive protein for serious complications after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer.Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 298 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy in the 940th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force of Chinese People's Liberation Army from January 2017 to June 2019 were collected. There were 253 males and 45 females, aged from 24 to 86 years, with a median age of 60 years. Of the 298 patients, 275 cases underwent no serious postoperative complications and 23 cases underwent serious postoperative complications. Observation indicators: (1) serious postoperative complications; (2) analysis of risk factors for serious postoperative complications after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer; (3) performance evaluation of the predictive indicators. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range). Count data were described as absolute numbers and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was conducted using the rank sum test. Univariate analysis was conducted using the chi-square test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using Logistic regression model. The receiver operating characteristic curve was drawn and the area under curve (AUC) was used to compare and estimate the efficiency of diagnostic criteria. The value of Youden index was used to determine the optimal cut-off point. Results:(1) Serious postoperative complications: of the 298 patients, 23 cases underwent complications classified ≥grade Ⅲa of Clavien-Dindo classifica-tion, including 10 cases with grade Ⅲa complications, 7 cases with grade Ⅲb complications, 4 cases with grade Ⅳa complications, 1 case with grade Ⅳb complications and 1 case with grade Ⅴ complications. (2) Analysis of risk factors for serious postoperative complications after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer. Results of univariate analysis showed that operation time, indicators of C-reactive protein concentration and neutrophil count at post-operative day 1, and indicators of C-reactive protein concentration, white blood cells count, neutrophil count and platelet count at postoperative day 3 and pathological stage were related factors affecting serious complications for advanced gastric cancer after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy ( χ2=7.671, 4.504, 5.045, 48.293, 9.575, 15.436, 13.731, 9.537, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that the operation time ≥250 minutes, the concentration of C-reactive protein at postoperative day 3 ≥16.65 mg/dL, the neutrophil count at postoperative day 3 ≥8.167×10 9/L, the platelet count at postoperative day 3 ≥218×10 9/L and the pathological stage of tumor as stage Ⅱ and stage Ⅲ were independent risk factors affecting serious complications for advanced gastric cancer after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy ( odds ratio=3.721, 16.084, 6.056, 6.893, 12.455, 95% confidence interval: 1.032-13.421, 4.657-55.547, 1.073-34.163, 1.798-26.423, 1.338-115.930, P<0.05). (3) Performance evaluation of the predictive indicators: the C-reactive protein concentration at postoperative day 3 was a high-performance predictor with the AUC as 0.851 (95% c onfidence interval: 0.780-0.921, P<0.05) and neutrophil count and platelet count at postoperative day 3 were low-performance predictors with the AUC as 0.659 and 0.666 (95% confidence interval: 0.570-0.748 and 0.581-0.750, P<0.05). Conclusion:The C-reactive protein concentration ≥16.65 mg/dL at postoperative day 3 is a high performance predictive indicator for serious complications after Da Vinci robotic surgical system radical gastrectomy of gastric cancer.

Application value of 'N' shaped Trocar placement in Da Vinci robotic bariatric and metabolic surgery / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the application value of 'N' shaped Trocar placement in Da Vinci robotic bariatric and metabolic surgery.Methods:The retrospective and descriptive study was conducted. The clinical data of 69 patients who underwent Da Vinci robotic bariatric and metabolic surgery in the China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University from March to October 2020 were collected. There were 18 males and 51 females, aged from 12 to 67 years, with a median age of 34 years. The surgery was performed with the 'N' shaped Trocar placement by the same team of surgeons. The Da Vinci robotic sleeve gastrectomy, Da Vinci robotic single-anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy or Da Vinci robotic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch was selected according to the patient's condition. Observation indicators: (1) surgical and post-operative conditions; (2) follow-up. Follow-up using the outpatient examination, telephone interview and WeChat to detect the body weight, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, Trocar-related complications of patients at postoperative 3 months. The follow-up was up to November 2020. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison of general data before and after surgery was analyzed using the paired t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M (range). Count data were described as absolute numbers. Results:(1) Surgical and postoperative conditions: of the 69 patients, 34 cases received Da Vinci robotic sleeve gastrectomy, 34 cases received Da Vinci robotic single-anastomosis duodenal-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy, and 1 case received Da Vinci robotic biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. There was no conversion to open surgery or laparoscopic surgery. The operation time of 69 patients was (161±52)minutes, and the volume of intraoperative blood loss was 30 mL(range, 10-100 mL). Two of 69 patients had post-operative complications. One of them with postoperative abdominal hemorrhage was cured after symptomatic treatment and discharged on the 10th day after surgery. The other one patient with postoperative peritoneal effusion was cured and discharged from hospital after puncture drainage and symptomatic treatment. No Trocar-related complication such as Trocar foramen bleeding and Trocar foramen hernia occurred in the 69 patients. The duration of postoperative hospital stay of 69 patients was (6±3)days. (2) Follow-up: 47 of 69 patients were followed up for 3 months. The body mass, body mass index, fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, and total cholesterol were (86±19)kg, (30±5)kg/m 2, (5.2±0.7)mmol/L, 5.3%±0.6%, (4.3±1.3)mmol/L at postoperative 3 months, which had significant differences compared with the preoperative indicators ( t=6.101, 8.261, 2.973, 2.567, 2.098, P<0.05). All the 47 patients had no Trocar-related complications during the follow-up. Conclusion:The 'N' shaped Trocar placement method is safe and feasible in the Da Vinci robotic bariatric and metabolic surgery, with good efficacy.