Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 14, 2026
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
Robotic-assisted transabdominal intersphincteric resection: a technique involving a completely abdominal approach and
Soo Yeun Park1, Gyu-Seog Choi, Jun Seok Park
1Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Colorectal Cancer Center, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Korea.
Background:
As the use of a surgical robot allows for improved dexterity and visual field, we successfully conducted transabdominal intersphincteric resection (ISR) and perineal coloanal anastomosis for a very low lying rectal cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of this procedure.
Materials And Methods:
Eight patients underwent robotic-assisted transabdominal ISR with coloanal anastomosis for low rectal cancers. The surgical procedures included 5 steps: colonic mobilization with ligation of inferior mesenteric vessels, total mesorectal excision, intersphincteric dissection with rectal transection, specimen retrieval, and coloanal anastomosis.
Results:
The median operation time was 210 minutes, and the median estimated blood loss was 40.0 mL. The hypogastric nerve and pelvic nerve plexus was preserved in all patients. No intraoperative-related or robotic system-related morbidities were observed. In all patients, R0 resection was achieved, and the quality of the total mesorectal excision was optimal.
Conclusions:
Robotic transabdominal ISR is a safe operation with an expectation of future advances in pathologic quality and functional preservation. Additional work in a larger series of patients is necessary to refine this technique and to establish its efficacy.
