Robot-assisted uretero-enteric reimplantation for uretero-enteric anastomotic strictures following robot-assisted radical cystectomy: Surgical approach and outcomes over two decades

Objective:We described the technique and outcomes of robot-assisted repair of uretero-enteric strictures(UES)following robot-assisted radical cystectomy(RARC)and urinary diversion.Methods:Retrospective review of our RARC database from November 2005 to August 2023 at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer center was performed.Patients who developed UES and ultimately underwent robot-assisted uretero-enteric reimplantation(RUER)were identified.KaplaneMeier method was used to compute the cumulative incidence recurrence rate of UES after RUER.A multivariable regression model was used to identify variables associated with UES recurrence.Results:A total of 123(15%)out of 808 RARC patients developed UES,of whom 52 underwent reimplantation(45 patients underwent RUER[n=55 cases]and seven patients underwent open ureteroenteric reimplantation).The median time from RARC to UES was 4.4(interquartile range 3.0e7.0)months,and the median time between UES and RUER was 5.2(interquartile range 3.2e8.9)months.The 3-year recurrence rate after RUER is about 29%.On multivariable analysis,longer hospital stay(hazard ratio 1.37,95%confidence interval 1.16e1.61,p<0.01)was associated with recurrent UES after RUER.Conclusion:RUER for UES after RARC is feasible with durable outcomes although a notable subset of patients experienced postoperative complications and UES recurrence.

The clinical application and advancement of robot-assisted McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer

Robotic surgery systems,as emerging minimally invasive approaches,have been increasingly applied for the treatment of esophageal cancer because they provide a high-definition three-dimensional surgical view and mechanical rotating arms that surpass the limitations of human hands,greatly enhancing the accuracy and flexibility of surgical methods.Robot-assisted McKeown esophagectomy(RAME),a common type of robotic esophagectomy,has been gradually implemented with the aim of reducing postoperative complications,improving postoperative recovery and achieving better long-term survival.Multiple centers worldwide have reported and summarized their experiences with the RAME,and some have also discussed and analyzed its perioperative effects and survival prognosis compared with those of video-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy.Compared to traditional surgery,the RAME has significant advantages in terms of lymph node dissection although there seems to be no difference in overall survival or disease-free survival.With the continuous advancement of technology and the development of robotic technology,further development and innovation are expected in the RAME field.This review elaborates on the prospects of the application and advancement of the RAME to provide a useful reference for clinical practice.

Trend of robot-assisted surgery system in gastrointestinal and liver surgery: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND Robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery has been an important development direction in the field of surgery in recent years and it is also one of the fastest developing and most concerning fields in surgical operations.AIM To illustrate the major areas of research and forward-looking directions over the past twenty-six years.METHODS Using the Web of Science Core Collection database,a comprehensive review of scholarly articles pertaining to robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery was researched out between 2000 and 2023.We used Citespace(Version 6.2.4)and Bibliometrix package(Version 4.3.0)to visualize the analysis of all publications including country,institutional affiliations,authors,and keywords.RESULTS In total,346 articles were retrieved.Surgical Endoscopy had with the largest number of publications and was cited in this field.The United States was a core research country in this field.Yonsei University was the most productive institution.The current focus of this field is on rectal surgery,long-term prognosis,perioperative management,previous surgical experience,and the learning curve.CONCLUSION The scientific interest in robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery has experienced a significant rise since 1997.This study provides new perspectives and ideas for future research in this field.

Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks for anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome after robot-assisted gastrectomy: A case report

BACKGROUND Anterior cutaneous nerve entrapment syndrome(ACNES)is a condition mani-festing with pain caused by strangulation of the anterior cutaneous branch of the lower intercostal nerves.This case report aims to provide new insight into the selection of peripheral nerve blocks for the ACNES treatment.CASE SUMMARY A 66-year-old woman manifested ACNES after a robot-assisted distal gastrec-tomy.An ultrasound-guided rectal sheath block was effective for pain triggered by the port scar.However,the sudden severe pain,which radiated laterally from the previous site,remained.A transversus abdominis plane block was performed for the remaining pain and effectively relieved it.CONCLUSION In this case,the trocar port was inserted between the rectus and transverse abdominis muscles.The intercostal nerves might have been entrapped on both sides of the rectus and transversus abdominis muscles.Hence,rectus sheath and transverse abdominis plane blocks were required to achieve complete pain relief.To the best of our knowledge,this is the first report on use of a combination of rectus sheath and transverse abdominis plane blocks for pain relief in ACNES.

Impact of the Rapid Recovery Concept on Complications and Patient Quality of Life in the Perioperative Nursing of Robot-Assisted Radical Oesophageal Cancer

Aim: This study evaluates the impact of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) nursing on postoperative complications and quality of life in patients undergoing robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE). Methods: A total of 150 patients who underwent RAMIE from January 2020 to January 2022 at our hospital were randomly assigned to either the observation group or the control group, with 75 patients in each. The control group received standard perioperative management and nursing care, while the observation group was treated with ERAS nursing strategies. Interventions continued until discharge, and outcomes such as postoperative complications, quality of life, and nutritional status were compared between the groups. Results: The observation group exhibited a significantly lower incidence of postoperative adverse reactions compared to the control group (P ionally, all dimension scores of the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), including the total score, were higher in the observation group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) scores for impaired nutritional status and disease severity, along with the total NRS score, were significantly lower in the observation group compared to the control group (P Conclusion: Implementing ERAS nursing in the perioperative care of patients undergoing RAMIE is associated with reduced postoperative complications and enhanced postoperative quality of life and nutritional status. .

Intermediate-term oncological and functional outcomes in prostate cancer patients treated with perineal robot-assisted radical prostatectomy:A single center analysis

Objective:In the last 10 years,robotic platforms allowed to resume of some alternative surgical approaches,including perineal robot-assisted radical prostatectomy(p-RARP).Herein,we present in detail the oncological and functional outcomes of patients who underwent p-RARP with a median follow-up of 30 months.Methods:Patients presenting low-or intermediate-risk prostate cancer and prostate volume up to 60 mL who underwent p-RARP between November 2018 and November 2022 were selected.Baseline,intraoperative,pathological,and postoperative data were collected and then analyzed.Results:Thirty-seven p-RARP cases were included.Such patients presented mean age of 62 years and a mean Charlson comorbidity index of 4.Body mass index of≥25 kg/m^(2)was reported by 24(64.9%)patients,as well as 7(18.9%)patients reported a past surgical history.Mean prostate volume and median prostate-specific antigen were 41 mL and 6.2 ng/mL,respectively.The median operative time was 242 min.The positive surgical margin rate was 45.9%.In terms of postoperative complications,10 patients reported complications with any grade;however,a single case(2.7%)of major(Clavien-Dindo grade≥3)complication was observed.No patient with biochemical recurrence or distant metastasis was reported at 2 years of follow-up.Recovery of continence rates were 67.6%,75.7%,and 92.9%,at 6 months,12 months,and 24 months after surgery,respectively.

Unilateral post-chemotherapy robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in Stage II non-seminomatous germ cell tumor:A tertiary care experience

Objective Post-chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(PC-RPLND)represents an integral component of the management of patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumor(NSGCT).Modified templates have been proposed to minimize the surgical morbidity of the procedure.Moreover,the implementation of robotic surgery in this setting has been explored.We report our experience with unilateral post-chemotherapy robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection(PC-rRPLND)for clinical Stages IIA and IIB NSGCTs.Methods A retrospective single institution review was performed including 33 patients undergoing PC-rRPLND for Stages IIA and IIB NSGCTs between January 2015 and February 2019.Following orchiectomy,patients were scheduled for chemotherapy with three cycles of bleomycin-etoposide-cisplatin.Patients with a residual tumor of<5 cm and an ipsilateral metastatic disease on pre-and post-chemotherapy CT scans were eligible for a unilateral template in absence of rising tumor markers.Descriptive statistics were provided for demographics,clinical characteristics,intraoperative and postoperative parameters.Perioperative,oncological,and functional outcomes were recorded.Results Overall,7(21.2%)patients exhibited necrosis or fibrosis;14(42.4%)had mature teratoma;and 12(36.4%)had viable tumor at final histology.The median lymph node size at surgery was 25(interquartile range[IQR]21-36)mm.Median operative time was 180(IQR 165-215)min and no major postoperative complications were observed.Anterograde ejaculation was preserved in 75.8%of patients.Median follow-up was 26(IQR 19-30)months and a total of three recurrences were recorded.Conclusion PC-rRPLND is a reliable and technically reproducible procedure with safe oncological outcomes and acceptable postoperative ejaculatory function in well selected patients with NSGCTs.

A systematic review of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy outcomes for advanced indications:Large tumors(cT2-T3),solitary kidney,completely endophytic,hilar,recurrent,and multiple renal tumors

Objective:Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy(RAPN)has become widely used for treatment of renal cell carcinoma and it is expanding in the field of complex renal masses.The aim of this systematic review was to analyze outcomes of RAPN for completely endophytic renal masses,large tumors(cT2-T3),renal cell carcinoma in solitary kidney,recurrent tumors,completely endophytic and hilar masses,and simultaneous and multiple tumors.Methods:A comprehensive search in the PubMed,Scopus,Web of Science,and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases was performed in December 2022 for English language papers.The primary endpoint was to evaluate the role of RAPN in the setting of each category of complex renal masses considered.The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the surgical and functional outcomes.Results:After screening 1250 records,43 full-text manuscripts were selected,comprising over 8500 patients.Twelve and thirteen studies reported data for endophytic and hilar renal masses,respectively.Five and three studies reported outcomes for cT2-T3 and solitary kidney patients,respectively.Four studies focused on redo-RAPN for recurrent tumors.Two studies investigated simultaneous bilateral renal masses and five reports focused on multiple tumor excision in ipsilateral kidney.Conclusion:Over the past decade,evidence supporting the use of RAPN for the most challenging nephron-sparing surgery indications has continuously grown.Although limitations remain including study design and lack of detailed long-term functional and oncological outcomes,the adoption of RAPN for the included advanced indications is associated with favorable surgical outcomes with good preservation of renal function without compromising the oncological result.Certainly,a higher likelihood of complication might be expected when facing extremely challenging cases.However,none of these indications should be considered per se an exclusion criterion for performing RAPN.Ultimately,a risk-adapted approach should be employed.

Laparoscopic and robot-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer: Current considerations

Radical gastrectomy with an adequate lymphadenectomy is the main procedure which makes it possible to cure patients with resectable gastric cancer (GC). A number of randomized controlled trials and meta-analysis provide phase III evidence that laparoscopic gastrectomy is technically safe and that it yields better short-term outcomes than conventional open gastrectomy for early-stage GC. While laparoscopic gastrectomy has become standard therapy for early-stage GC, especially in Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea, the use of minimally invasive techniques is still controversial for the treatment of more advanced tumours, principally due to existing concerns about its oncological adequacy and capacity to carry out an adequately extended lymphadenectomy. Some intrinsic drawbacks of the conventional laparoscopic technique have prevented the worldwide spread of laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer and, despite technological advances in recent year, it remains a technically challenging procedure. The introduction of robotic surgery over the last ten years has implied a notable mutation of certain minimally invasive procedures, making it possible to overcome some limitations of the traditional laparoscopic technique. Robot-assisted gastric resection with D2 lymph node dissection has been shown to be safe and feasible in prospective and retrospective studies. However, to date there are no high quality comparative studies investigating the advantages of a robotic approach to GC over traditional laparoscopic and open gastrectomy. On the basis of the literature review here presented, robot-assisted surgery seems to fulfill oncologic criteria for D2 dissection and has a comparable oncologic outcome to traditional laparoscopic and open procedure. Robot-assisted gastrectomy was associated with the trend toward a shorter hospital stay with a comparable morbidity of conventional laparoscopic and open gastrectomy, but randomized clinical trials and longer follow-ups are needed to evaluate the possible influence of robot gastrectomy on GC patient survival.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic vs open gastrectomy for gastric cancer:Systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM To evaluate the potential effectiveness of robot-assisted gastrectomy(RAG) in comparison to open gastrectomy(OG) for gastric cancer patients.METHODS A comprehensive systematic literature search using PubM ed,EMBASE,and the Cochrane Library was carried out to identify studies comparing RAG and OG in gastric cancer.Participants of any age and sex were considered for inclusion in comparative studies of the two techniques independently from type of gastrectomy.A meta-analysis of short-term perioperative outcomes was performed to evaluate whether RAG is equivalent to OG.The primary outcome measures were set for estimated blood loss,operative time,conversion rate,morbidity,and hospital stay.Secondary among postoperative complications,wound infection,bleeding and anastomotic leakage were also analysed.RESULTS A total of 6 articles,5 retrospective and 1 randomized controlled study,involving 6123 patients overall,with 689(11.3%) cases submitted to RAG and 5434(88.7%) to OG,satisfied the eligibility criteria and were included in the meta-analysis.RAG was associated with longer operation time than OG(weighted mean difference 72.20 min;P < 0.001),but with reduction in blood loss and shorter hospital stay(weighted mean difference-166.83 mL and-1.97 d respectively;P < 0.001).No differences were found with respect to overall postoperative complications(P = 0.65),wound infection(P = 0.35),bleeding(P = 0.65),and anastomotic leakage(P = 0.06).The postoperative mortality rates were similar between the two groups.With respect to oncological outcomes,no statistical differences among the number of harvested lymph nodes were found(weighted mean difference-1.12;P = 0.10).CONCLUSION RAG seems to be a technically valid alternative to OG for performing radical gastrectomy in gastric cancer resulting in safe complications.

The current status of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy （RARP） is a rapidly evolving technique for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. In the United States, over 65% of radical prostatectomies are robot-assisted, although the acceptance of this technology in Europe and the rest of the world has been somewhat slower. This article reviews the current literature on RARP with regard to oncological, continence and potency outcomes-the so-called ＇trifecta＇. Preliminary data appear to show an advantage of RARP over open prostatectomy, with reduced blood loss, decreased pain, early mobilization, shorter hospital stay and lower margin rates. Most studies show good postoperative continence and potency with RARP; however, this needs to be viewed in the context of the paucity of randomized data available in the literature. There is no definitive evidence to show an advantage over standard laparoscopy, but the fact that this technique has reached parity with laparoscopy within 5 years is encouraging. Finally, evolving techniques of single-port robotic prostatectomy, laser- guided robotics, catheter-free prostatectomy and image-guided robotics are discussed.

Needle Steering for Robot-Assisted Insertion into Soft Tissue:A Survey

Needle insertion is a common surgical procedure used in diagnosis and treatment.The needle steering technologies make continuous developments in theoretical and practical aspects along with the in-depth research on needle insertion.It is necessary to summarize and analyze the existing results to promote the future development of theories and applications of needle insertion.Thus,a survey of the state of the art of research is presented on algorithms of needle steering techniques,the surgical robots and devices.Based on the analysis of the needle insertion procedure,the concept of needle steering is defined as a kinematics problem,which is to place the needle at the target and avoid the obstacles.The needle steering techniques,including the artificial potential field method and the nonholonomic model,are introduced to control the needles for improving the accuracy.Based on the quasi-static thinking,the virtual spring model and the cantilever-beam model are developed to calculate the amount of needle deflection and generate the needle path.The phantoms instead of the real tissue are used to verify the models mentioned in most of the experimentations.For the desired needle trajectories,the image-guided robotic devices and some novel needles are presented to achieve the needle steering.Finally,the challenges are provided involving the controllability of the long flexible needle and the properties of soft tissue.The results and investigations can be used for further study on the precision and accuracy of needle insertion.

Initial experience with robot-assisted varicocelectomy

Aim： To determine if robot-assisted varicocelectomy can be safely and effectively performed when compared to microscopic inguinal varicocelectomy. Methods： Eight patients aged 29.1 ± 12.5 years underwent microscopic subinguinal varicocelectomies： seven patients with left-sided repair, and one patient with bilateral repair. Eight patients aged 22.0 ±8.0 years underwent robot-assisted varicocelectomies： seven patients with left-sided repair and one patient with bilateral repair. Results： The average operative time for microscopic inguinal varicocelectomy was 73.9 ±12.2 min, whereas the robot-assisted technique took 71.1± 21.1 min. There were no difficulties in identifying and isolating vessels and the vas deferens with robot-assisted subinguinal varicocelectomy. Hand tremor was eliminated using the robotic procedure. Patients who underwent either microscopic or robot-assisted varicocelectomies were able to resume daily activities on the day of surgery and full activities within 2 weeks. There were no complications or recurrences of varicocele. Conclusion： From our experience, compared to microscopic surgery, robot-assisted varicocelectomy can be safely and effectively performed, with the added benefit of eliminating hand tremor.

Current trends in three-dimensional visualization and real-time navigation as well as robot-assisted technologies in hepatobiliary surgery

With the continuous development of digital medicine,minimally invasive precision and safety have become the primary development trends in hepatobiliary surgery.Due to the specificity and complexity of hepatobiliary surgery,traditional preoperative imaging techniques such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging cannot meet the need for identification of fine anatomical regions.Imaging-based three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction,virtual simulation of surgery and 3D printing optimize the surgical plan through preoperative assessment,improving the controllability and safety of intraoperative operations,and in difficult-to-reach areas of the posterior and superior liver,assistive robots reproduce the surgeon’s natural movements with stable cameras,reducing natural vibrations.Electromagnetic navigation in abdominal surgery solves the problem of conventional surgery still relying on direct visual observation or preoperative image assessment.We summarize and compare these recent trends in digital medical solutions for the future development and refinement of digital medicine in hepatobiliary surgery.

Totally intracorporeal robot-assisted urinary diversion for bladder cancer(part 2).Review and detailed characterization of the existing intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder

Objective:To review the most used intracorporeal orthotopic ileal neobladder(ICONB)after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and create a unified compendium of the different alternatives,including new consistent images.Methods:We performed a non-systematic review of the literature with the keywords“bladder cancer”,“urinary diversion”,“radical cystectomy”,and“neobladder”.Results:Forty studies were included in the analysis.The most frequent type of ICONB was the modified Studer“U”neobladder(70%)followed by the Hautmann“W”modified neobladder(7.5%),the“Y”neobladder(5%),and the Padua neobladder(5%).The operative time to perform a urinary diversion ranged from 124 to 553 min.The total estimated blood loss ranged from 200 to 900 mL.The rate of positive surgical margins ranged from 0%to 8.1%.Early minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 100%and from 0%to 33%,respectively.Late minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 70%and from 0%to 25%,respectively.Conclusion:The most frequent types of ICONB are Studer“U”neobladder,Hautmann“W”neobladder,“Y”neobladder,and the Padua neobladder.Randomized studies comparing the performance of the different types of ICONB,the performance in an intra or extracorporeal manner,or the performance of an ICONB versus ICIC are lacking in the literature.To this day,there are not sufficient quality data to determine the supremacy of one technique.This manuscript represents a compendium of the most used ICONB with detailed descriptions of the technical aspects,operative and perioperative outcomes,and new consistent images of each technique.

Totally intracorporeal robot-assisted urinary diversion for bladder cancer(Part 1).Review and detailed characterization of ileal conduit and modified Indiana pouch

Objective:To review the most used robot-assisted cutaneous urinary diversion(CUD)after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and create a unified compendium of the different alternatives,including new consistent images Methods:A non-systematic review of the literature with the keywords“bladder cancer”,“cutaneous urinary diversion”,and“radical cystectomy”was performed.Results:Twenty-four studies of intracorporeal ileal conduit(ICIC)and two of intracorporeal Indiana pouch(ICIP)were included in the analysis.Regarding ICIC,the patients’age ranged from 60 to 76 years.The operative time to perform a urinary diversion ranged from 60 to 133 min.The total estimated blood loss ranged from 200 to 1117 mL.The rate of positive surgical margins ranged from 0%to 14.3%.Early minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 71.4%and from 0%to 53.4%,respectively.Late minor and major complication rates ranged from 0%to 66%and from 0%to 32%,respectively.Totally ICIP data are limited to one case report and one clinical series.Conclusion:The most frequent type of CUD is ICIC.Randomized studies comparing the performance of the different types of CUD,the performance in an intra-or extracorporeal manner,or the performance of a CUD versus orthotopic ileal neobladder are lacking in the literature.To this day,there are not enough quality data to determine the supremacy of one technique.This manuscript represents a compendium of the most used CUD with detailed descriptions of the technical aspects,operative and perioperative outcomes,and new consistent images for each technique.

A comparison of robot-assisted and fluoroscopy-assisted kyphoplasty in the treatment of multi-segmental osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture(OVCF)has become a major public health issue that becomes more pressing with increasing global aging.Percutaneous kyphoplasty(PKP)is an effective treatment for OVCF.Robot-assisted PKP has been utilized in recent years to improve accuracy and reduce complications.However,the effectiveness of robot-assisted PKP in the treatment of multi-segmental OVCF has yet to be proved.This study was designed to compare the efficacy of robot-assisted and conventional fluoroscopy-assisted multi-segmental PKP.A total of 30 cases with multi-segmental OVCF between April 2019 and April 2021 were included in this study.Fifteen cases were assigned to the robot-assisted PKP group(robot group)and 15 cases to the conventional fluoroscopy-assisted PKP group(conventional fluoroscopy group).The number of fluoroscopic exposures,fluoroscopic dose,operation time,cement leakage rate,visual analog scale(VAS)score,vertebral kyphosis angle(VKA),and height of fractured vertebral body(HFV)were compared between the 2 groups.The number of fluoroscopic exposures,fluoroscopic doses,and cement leakage rates in the robot group were lower than in the conventional fluoroscopy group(P<0.05)while the operative time in the robot group was longer than in the conventional fluoroscopy group(P<0.05).VAS score and VKA were decreased and HFV was increased after surgery in both groups(P<0.05).Therefore,robot-assisted PKP for the treatment of multi-segmental OVCF can reduce the number of fluoroscopic exposures,fluoroscopic doses,and cement leakage compared to conventional treatment.As such,robot-assisted PKP has good application prospects and is potentially more effective in the treatment of multi-segmental OVCF.

Zeus robot-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy

BACKGROUND: The robotic surgical system overcomes many technological obstacles of conventional laparoscopic surgery, and possesses enormous clinical applied potential. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of Zeus robot-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Forty patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in group A (n=20) underwent Zeus robot-assisted laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and patients in group B (n=20) received conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The parameters on operative field, operative time, the number of actions, the rate of operative errors and minimal trauma were evaluated and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The number of cleating camera (1.1±1.0 times) and the time of adjusting the operative field (2.2±0.7 minutes) in group A were significantly less than those (4.5±1.5 times) and (7.5±1.2 minutes) in group B. The number of dissection actions (337±86 times) and the rate of operative errors (10%) in group A were less than those (389±94 times), (25%) in group B. The total operation time (104.9±20.5 minutes) and setup time (29.5±9.8 minutes) in group A were significandy longer than those (78.6±17.1 minutes), (12.6±2.5 minutes) in group B. Blood loss and postoperative hospitalization were similar. No postoperative complications occurred in both groups, and open cholecystectomy was performed in each group. CONCLUSIONS: Zeus robot-assisted cholecystectomy inherits the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. The Zeus robotic surgical system is better than conventional laparoscopic technique in controlling the operative field and can be manipulated precisely and stablely though it requires more operative time.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer

Phase III evidence in the shape of a series of randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses has shown that laparoscopic gastrectomy is safe and gives better short-term results with respect to the traditional open technique for early-stage gastric cancer. In fact, in the East laparoscopic gastrectomy has become routine for early-stage gastric cancer. In contrast, the treatment of advanced gastric cancer through a minimally invasive way is still a debated issue, mostly due to worries about its oncological efficacy and the difficulty of carrying out an extended lymphadenectomy and intestinal reconstruction after total gastrectomy laparoscopically. Over the last ten years the introduction of robotic surgery has implied overcoming some intrinsic drawbacks found to be present in the conventional laparoscopic procedure. Robot-assisted gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy has been shown to be safe and feasible for the treatment of gastric cancer patients. But unfortunately, most available studies investigating the robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer compared to laparoscopic and open technique are so far retrospective and there have not been phase III trials. In the present review we looked at scientific evidence available today regarding the new high-tech surgical robotic approach, and we attempted to bring to light the real advantages of robot-assisted gastrectomy compared to the traditional laparoscopic and open technique for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy:Current perspectives

Robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)is the current standard of care with long term cure in organ-confined disease.The introduction of nerve-sparing(NS)to standard RARP has shown positive results in terms of functional outcomes in addition to the oncological outcomes.This article reviews the current perspectives of NS-RARP in terms of applied anatomy of the prostatic fascial planes,the neurovascular bundle(NVB),various NS techniques and postoperative functional outcomes.A non-systematic review was done using PubMed,Embase and Medline databases to retrieve and analyse articles in English,with following keywords“prostate cancer”,“robotic radical prostatectomy”,“nerve-sparing”.The Delphi method was used with an expert panel of robotic surgeons in urology to analyse the potency outcomes of various published comparative and non-comparative studies.The literature has shown that NS-RARP involves various techniques and approaches while there is a lack of randomized studies to suggest the superiority of one over the other.Variables such as preoperative risk assessments,baseline potency,surgical anatomy of individual patients and surgeons’expertise play a major role in the outcomes.A tailored approach for each patient is required for applying the NS approach during RARP.