[Robotic-assisted radical gastrectomy using da Vinci robotic system: a report of 41 cases]

To investigate the feasibility and safety of da Vinci robotic-assisted radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Forty-one patients with gastric cancer from Southwest Hospital between March 2010 and December 2011 underwent da Vinci robotic-assisted radical gastrectomy including total gastrectomy(n=12) and distal gastrectomy (n=29).

Conversion was required in two patients. One was converted to open surgery, and the other to conventional laparoscopic surgery. The remaining thirty-nine patients underwent da Vinci robotic-assisted radical gastrectomy successfully. The mean operative time was (285±61) min for total gastrectomy, and (225±39) min for distal gastrectomy. The mean blood loss was (180±157) ml in total gastrectomy, and (150±127) ml in distal gastrectomy. The mean number of harvested lymph nodes was 34.2±18.5. The mean time for gastrointestinal function recovery was (3.1±1.2) days. The time to ambulation was (2.7±1.5) days. The time to oral liquid intake was (3.7±1.5) days. Two patients had complication including wound infection and pneumonia. After follow up ranging from 1 to 21 months (median 11 months), 4 patients died from peritoneal metastasis, 1 survived with tumor, and the remaining 36 patients survived without disease.

da Vinci robotic-assisted radical gastrectomy is a feasible and safe surgical procedure with clear operation field, precise dissection, minimal trauma and fast recovery.