Robotic TransAnal Minimally Invasive Surgery in a cadaveric model

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• TransAnal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) is an established technique for rectal lesion resection since 2009.
• Standard TAMIS has limitations in performing complex endoluminal resections.
• Robotic assistance presents a potential solution to overcome these limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and precision of robotic TAMIS in a cadaveric model.
• To compare robotic TAMIS tasks with standard TAMIS.
• To assess the potential of robotic TAMIS for transanal surgery.

Main Methods:

• A novel robotic TAMIS technique was performed in a cadaveric surgical education setting.
• Key surgical tasks included rectal wall excision and defect suturing.
• Procedures were conducted by a surgeon trained on the da Vinci robotic system.

Main Results:

• Robotic TAMIS enabled precise execution of rectal wall excision and suturing.
• Tasks were simpler and more accurate for the robotic-trained surgeon compared to standard TAMIS.
• The technique demonstrated feasibility for transanal surgery.

Conclusions:

• Robotic TAMIS is a feasible platform that overcomes limitations of standard TAMIS.
• Enhanced precision was observed with robotic assistance.
• High costs may restrict robotic TAMIS to complex cases; further validation is required.