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.

Robot-assisted oncologic pelvic surgery with Hugo™robot-assisted surgery system:A single-center experience

Objective To report the outcomes of intra-and extra-peritoneal robot-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)and robot-assisted radical cystectomy(RARC)with Hugo™robot-assisted surgery(RAS)system(Medtronic,Minneapolis,MN,USA).Methods Data of twenty patients who underwent RARP and one RARC at our institution between February 2022 and January 2023 were reported.The primary endpoint of the study was to report the surgical setting of Hugo™RAS system to perform RARP and RARC.The secondary endpoint was to assess the feasibility of RARP and RARC with this novel robotic platform and report the outcomes.Results Seventeen patients underwent RARP with a transperitoneal approach,and three with an extraperitoneal approach;and one patient underwent RARC with intracorporeal ileal conduit.No intraoperative complications occurred.Median docking and console time were 12(interquartile range[IQR]7-16)min and 185(IQR 177-192)min for transperitoneal RARP,15(IQR 12-17)min and 170(IQR 162-185)min for extraperitoneal RARP.No intraoperative complications occurred.One patient submitted to extraperitoneal RARP had a urinary tract infection in the postoperative period that required an antibiotic treatment(Clavien-Dindo Grade 2).In case of transperitoneal RARP,two minor complications occurred(one pelvic hematoma and one urinary tract infection;both Clavien-Dindo Grade 2).Conclusion Hugo™RAS system is a novel promising robotic platform that allows to perform major oncological pelvic surgery.We showed the feasibility of RARP both intra-and extra-peritoneally and RARC with intracorporeal ileal conduit with this novel platform.

Robot-assisted surgery for gastric cancer

Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer is a rela-tively new research field, with convincing results mostly stemming from Asian countries. The use of the robotic surgery platform, thus far assessed as a safe procedure, which is also easier to learn, sets the background for a wider spread of minimally invasive technique in the treatment of gastric cancer. This review will cover the literature published so far, analyzing the pros and cons of robotic surgery and highlighting the remaining study questions.

Dealing with robot-assisted surgery for rectal cancer:current status and perspectives

The laparoscopic approach for treatment of rectal cancer has been proven feasible and oncologically safe, and is able to offer better short-term outcomes than traditional open procedures, mainly in terms of reduced length of hospital stay and time to return to working activity. In spite of this, the laparoscopic technique is usually practised only in high-volume experienced centres, mainly because it requires a prolonged and demanding learning curve. It has been estimated that over 50 operations are required for an experienced colorectal surgeon to achieve proficiency with this technique. Robotic surgery enables the surgeon to perform minimally invasive operations with better vision and more intuitive and precise control of the operating instruments, thus promising to overcome some of the technical difficulties associated with standard laparoscopy. It has high-definition threedimensional vision, it translates the surgeon's hand movements into precise movements of the instruments inside the patient, the camera is held and moved by the first surgeon, and a fourth robotic arm is available as a fixed retractor. The aim of this review is to summarise the current data on clinical and oncologic outcomes of robot-assisted surgery in rectal cancer, focusing on short- and long-term results, and providing original data from the authors' centre.

MARKER-BASED MAPPING BETWEEN MEDICAL IMAGE AND ROBOT SPACE IN ROBOT-ASSISTED SURGERY

This paper focuses on the problems of matching a virtual and a real environments by means of hardware and software tools. The real space is represented by a patient’s bone where a set of cuts by means of robot system is to be made. The virtual space is a 3D model of the bone reconstructed from a set of CT slices. Robot system is then not only to machine bones but also to perform the fundamental step of registration between the two spaces. An external force sensor is used to adjust robot stiffness in order to perform the tactile searching necessary for the registration. A simple but reliable software algorithm is used to control the robot for matching between medical image and robot space in robot-assisted surgery. The results show the system proposed is precise enough for application, and tests been made also clarify the way to improve it.

Successful robot-assisted surgery for treating endometrial cancer affecting bicornuate-bicollis or didelphic uterus

Uterine anomalies are mainly associated with improper development of Mullerian ducts. To our knowledge, reports describing the use of a da Vinci Robot System for treating an endometrial cancer in a woman with an abnormal uterus are lacking. Here, we reported the description of two extremely obese women, affected by endometrial cancer and presenting bicornuate-bicollis and didelphic uterus have been treated by Robot System-assisted surgery. No operative and postoperative complications were recorded. Both women are disease-free to follow-up. A robot-assisted surgery could represent an effective treatment option for complex hysterectomies and in complicated patients, as those showing an extreme obesity.

Comparing short-term outcomes of robot-assisted and conventional laparoscopic total mesorectal excision surgery for rectal cancer in elderly patients

BACKGROUND Da Vinci Robotics-assisted total mesorectal excision(TME)surgery for rectal cancer is becoming more widely used.There is no strong evidence that roboticassisted surgery and laparoscopic surgery have similar outcomes in elderly patients with TME for rectal cancer.AIM To determine the improved oncological outcomes and short-term efficacy of robot-assisted surgery in elderly patients undergoing TME surgery.METHODS A retrospective study of the clinical pathology and follow-up of elderly patients who underwent TME surgery at the Department of Gastrointestinal Oncology at the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine was conducted from March 2020 through September 2023.The patients were divided into a robotassisted group(the R-TME group)and a laparoscopic group(the L-TME group),and the short-term efficacy of the two groups was compared.RESULTS There were 45 elderly patients(≥60 years)in the R-TME group and 50 elderly patients(≥60 years)in the L-TME group.There were no differences in demographics,conversion rates,or postoperative complication rates.The L-TME group had a longer surgical time than the R-TME group[145(125,187.5)vs 180(148.75,206.25)min,P=0.005),and the first postoperative meal time in the L-TME group was longer than that in the R-TME(4 vs 3 d,P=0.048).Among the sex and body mass index(BMI)subgroups,the R-TME group had better out-comes than did the L-TME group in terms of operation time(P=0.042)and intraoperative assessment of bleeding(P=0.042).In the high BMI group,catheter removal occurred earlier in the R-TME group than in the L-TME group(3 vs 4 d,P=0.001),and autonomous voiding function was restored.CONCLUSION The curative effect and short-term efficacy of robot-assisted TME surgery for elderly patients with rectal cancer are similar to those of laparoscopic TME surgery;however,robotic-assisted surgery has better short-term outcomes for individuals with risk factors such as obesity and pelvic stenosis.Optimizing the learning curve can shorten the operation time,reduce the recovery time of gastrointestinal function,and improve the prognosis.

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. .

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.

Colorectal resections for malignancy: A pilot study comparing conventional vs freehand robot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic colectomy is widely accepted as a safe operation for colorectal cancer,but we have experienced resistance to the introduction of the FreeHandffrobotic camera holder to augment laparoscopic colorectal surgery.AIM To compare the initial results between conventional and FreeHandffrobot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy in Trinidad and Tobago.METHODS This was a prospective study of outcomes from all laparoscopic colectomies per-formed for colorectal carcinoma from November 29,2021 to May 30,2022.The following data were recorded:Operating time,conversions,estimated blood loss,hospitalization,morbidity,surgical resection margins and number of nodes har-vested.All data were entered into an excel database and the data were analyzed using SPSS ver 20.0.RESULTS There were 23 patients undergoing colectomies for malignant disease:8(35%)FreeHandff-assisted and 15(65%)conventional laparoscopic colectomies.There were no conversions.Operating time was significantly lower in patients under-going robot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy(95.13±9.22 vs 105.67±11.48 min;P=0.045).Otherwise,there was no difference in estimated blood loss,nodal harvest,hospitalization,morbidity or mortality.CONCLUSION The FreeHandffrobot for colectomies is safe,provides some advantages over conventional laparoscopy and does not compromise oncologic standards in the resource-poor Caribbean setting.

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.

TINAVI robot-assisted one-stage anteroposterior surgery in lateral position for severe thoracolumbar fracture dislocation:A case report

BACKGROUND The combined anterior/posterior approach appears to be capable of reconstructing spinal stability,correcting thoracolumbar deformity,and promoting neural recovery in severe thoracolumbar fracture dislocation.However,this type of operation requires changing the body position during the procedure,resulting in a lengthy operation time.As a universal surgical robot,TINAVI robot has achieved good surgical results in clinical surgery.But to our knowledge,no reports describing TINAVI robot-assisted single lateral position anteroposterior surgery for thoracolumbar fracture dislocation.CASE SUMMARY We describe a case of a 16-year-old female patient with severe thoracolumbar fracture and dislocation underwent surgery assisted by the TINAVI robot.A onestage combined anterior and posterior operation was performed on a severe thoracolumbar fracture dislocation using the TINAVI robot,and the operation was completed in right lateral position.CONCLUSION The TINAVI robot-assisted one-stage anterior and posterior surgery in right lateral position for severe thoracolumbar fracture and dislocation is both safe and effective.

Influence of Robot-Assisted Tumor Surgery Nursing on Patient Rehabilitation in Operating Room and Discussion on Nursing Strategies

Objective: To evaluate the effect of operating room nursing on the outcome of patients undergoing robot-assisted tumor surgery. Methods: This research starts from October 2021 to October 2022. The number of patients with robot-assisted tumor surgery included in our hospital is 769. The patients are treated in the operating room, and the prognosis of the patients is summarized. Results: The intraoperative blood loss in patients undergoing robot-assisted tumor surgery was (57.51 ± 12.01) ml;the operation time was (3.57 ± 0.66) h;and the hospital stay was (6.04 ± 0.53) d. There were 21 cases of complications after robot-assisted tumor surgery, accounting for 2.73%. After surgery, all robot-assisted tumor surgery patients recovered and were discharged smoothly after being checked by doctors. Conclusion: Robot-assisted tumor surgery nursing has a definite effect on patients’ rehabilitation in the operating room.

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.

Laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic digestivesurgery:Present and future directions

Laparoscopic surgery is applied today worldwide to most digestive procedures. In some of them, such as cholecystectomy, Nissen's fundoplication or obesity surgery, laparoscopy has become the standard in practice. In others, such as colon or gastric resection, the laparoscopic approach is frequently used and its usefulness is unquestionable. More complex procedures, such as esophageal, liver or pancreatic resections are, however, more infrequently performed, due to the high grade of skill necessary. As a result, there is less clinical evidence to support its implementation. In the recent years, robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly applied, again with little evidence for comparison with the conventional laparoscopic approach. This review will focus on the complex digestive procedures as well as those whose use in standard practice could be more controversial. Also novel robot-assisted procedures will be updated.

Current status of robot-assisted gastric surgery

In an effort to minimize the limitations of laparoscopy,a robotic surgery system was introduced,but its role for gastric cancer is still unclear.The objective of this article is to assess the current status of robotic surgery for gastric cancer and to predict future prospects.Although the current study was limited by its small number of patients and retrospective nature,robot-assisted gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy for the treatment of gastric cancer is a feasible and safe procedure for experienced laparoscopic surgeons.Most studies have reported satisfactory results for postoperative short-term coutcomes,such as:postoperative oral feeding,gas out,hospital stay and complications,compared with laparoscopic surgery;the difference is a longer operation time.However,robotic surgery showed a shallow learning curve compared with the familarity of conventional open surgery;after the accumulation of several cases,robotic surgery could be expected to result in a similar operation time.Robotic-assisted gastrectomy can expand the indications of minimally invasive surgery to include advanced gastric cancer by improving the ability to perform lymphadenectomy.Moreover," total" robotic gastrectomy can be facilitated using a robotsewing technique and gastric submucosal tumors near the gastroesophageal junction or pylorus can be resected safely by this novel technique.In conclusion,robotassisted gastrectomy may offer a good alternative to conventional open or laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer,provided that long-term oncologic outcomes can be confirmed.

Combining robot-assisted surgical system and 3D visualization system for teaching minimally invasive vitreoretinal surgery

AIM:To investigate the feasibility of teaching minimally invasive vitreoretinal surgery with a robot-assisted surgical system and a three-dimensional(3D) visualization system.METHODS:Enucleated porcine eyes were established as an animal model for removing foreign bodies.Forty medical students were recruited to remove foreign bodies to compare the traditional microscope and the 3D system.One junior resident performed the surgical task with manual and robot-assisted operations on 20 porcine eyes for each group.One senior surgeon evaluated the retinal invasion by a graded injury degree.The learning curve for minimally invasive vitreoretinal surgery was described.RESULTS:Compared with the robot-assisted group,the injury degree was higher in the manual group.For the first ten surgeries,the manual and robot-assisted groups had injuries of 2.60±1.35(4 to 0) and 1.80±1.62(4 to 0),respectively.For the last ten surgeries,the injury degrees were 1.90±1.20(3 to 0) and 0.80±0.42(1 to 0).Considering the manual and robot-assisted groups together,95%,75% and 60% of the students considered surgical manipulation with the 3D visualization system to be more comfortable,easier and clearer,respectively.CONCLUSION:The robot-assisted surgical system and 3D visualization system may have value in teaching minimally invasive vitreoretinal surgery.

An effective algorithm for needle tip displacement compensation in robot-assisted percutaneous surgery

This paper presents an automatic compensation algorithm for needle tip displacement in order to keep the needle tip always fixed at the skin entry point in the process of needle orientation in robot-assisted percutaneous surgery. The algorithm, based on a two-degree-of-freedom （2-DOF） robot wrist （not the mechanically constrained remote center of motion （RCM） mechanism） and a 3-DOF robot ann, firstly calculates the needle tip displacement caused by rotational motion of robot wrist in the arm coordinate frame using the robotic forward kinematics, and then inversely compensates for the needle tip displace- ment by real-time Cartesian motion of robot arm. The algorithm achieves the function of the RCM and eliminates many mechanical and virtual constraints caused by the RCM mechanism. Experimental result demonstrates that the needle tip displacement is within 1 inm in the process of needle orientation.

New direction for surgery:Super minimally invasive surgery

The top goal of modern medicine is treating disease without destroying organ structures and making patients as healthy as they were before their sickness.Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)has dominated the surgical realm because of its lesser invasiveness.However,changes in anatomical structures of the body and reconstruction of internal organs or different organs are common after traditional surgery or MIS,decreasing the quality of life of patients post-operation.Thus,I propose a new treatment mode,super MIS(SMIS),which is defined as“curing a disease or lesion which used to be treated by MIS while preserving the integrity of the organs”.In this study,I describe the origin,definition,operative channels,advantages,and future perspectives of SMIS.

Robot-assisted surgery in total knee arthroplasty:trauma maker or trauma savior?A prospective,randomized cohort study

Background:Robotic assistance has been increasingly employed to improve the operative precision in modern knee surgery.The purpose of the study was to evaluate the trauma effect of one of the first domestically developed orthopedic surgical robots in China in a clinical trial of robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty(RA-TKA).Methods:A total of 33 patients who underwent unilateral TKA for end-stage osteoarthritis were randomized to receive RA-TKA(17 cases)or conventional manual TKA(CM-TKA)in our institution in 2020.The trauma effects of the 4 main indicators with 48 sub-indicators in terms of subsectional operative time,inflammation and coagulation markers,physical and radiographical analyses of osteotomy deviation,and postoperative comfort were analyzed.Results:Subsectional operative time analysis showed that the times for bone cutting and gap balancing with RA-TKA were 5.3 and 2.2 min shorter than those with CM-TKA(p=0.010,p=0.02),respectively.Arterial blood gas indicators(partial pressure of carbon dioxide,partial pressure of oxygen and SO2)24 h after RA-TKA,as well as the white blood cell count and neutrophil ratio,were significantly lower than those after CM-TKA(p<0.05).Inflammatory markers at 72 h after surgery showed the increments of C-reactive protein,erythrocyte sedimentation rate and D-dimer of RA-TKA declined by 180.7,22.0 and 1050.0%(p<0.05),respectively,referenced to the preoperative baseline values,as compared to CM-TKA.Mechanical deviation distribution exhibited percentages of region I errors for RA-TKA and CM-TKA of 76.5%and 27.1%(p=0.000),respectively,and the success rates of one-time osteotomy were 94.1%and 62.5%(p=0.039),respectively.Radiographi-cal verification showed RA-TKA was more conducive to achieving mechanical alignment and ideal tibial component azimuths.Postoperative efficacy showed that patients were more comfortable after RA-TKA in terms of reduced administration of tranexamic acid,hydrocortisone and the utilization rate of temporary intensive opioid analgesics.No statistical difference in patient-reported outcome measures and complications were recorded between the two groups during continuous observation.Conclusions:Compared with CM-TKA,RA-TKA decreases rather than increases trauma.It might shorten the time required for bone cutting and gap balancing,reduce mechanical errors related to the osteotomy and prosthesis position,and improve the accuracy of the mechanical alignment reconstruction.RA-TKA is also favorable in promoting postoperative comfort and minimizing inflammatory response and drug consumption.