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Updated: Mar 27, 2026
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
[Da Vinci assisted surgery for rectal cancer - preliminary results of nonrandomized trial]
Introduction:
The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Czech Republic is reported to be one of the highest on the global scale. Radical tumor removal has been observed to be the most effective part in the context of current multimodal therapy. The authors present their preliminary results of robotic assisted treatment of rectal carcinoma (RC).
Method:
The observed group includes 61 patients who underwent robotic assisted treatment for rectal cancer. The data were collected prospectively in the last 31 patients. Analyses were conducted on epidemiological data, perioperative outcomes, complications and oncological results.
Results:
Robotic assisted treatment of RC was performed in 61 patients: 34 men and 27 women, mean age of 62 years (33-80). Neoadjuvant oncological treatment was indicated in 46% of the patients. Average blood loss was 187 ml, transfusions were administered in three cases. Conversion to open procedure was performed 6 times, and 16 patients had postoperative complications. Anastomotic leak was observed in 10% of the patients, and 4 patients undewent surgical treatment. No patient died. Local recurrence of the cancer was diagnosed in 3 (5%) patients. The quality of mesorectal excision (ME) and the circumferential resection margin [(y)pCRM] have been determined in 27 patients since 2013. Positive (y)pCRM was recorded in two cases and incomplete ME was observed in 25.8% of the patients.
Conclusion:
Surgical treatment for RC is pivotal in multimodal therapy. Our preliminary results are similar to the conclusions in other published studies. The da Vinci robotic system is a safe manipulator in the treatment of RC and provides indisputable benefits to the surgeon when operating in the narrow pelvic space. However, the benefits of robotic treatment in abdominal surgery are yet to be evaluated in patients (with respect to long-term results, sufficient number of patients or a high EBM level of evidence). The high purchase price of the robotic device, individual instruments with equipment and non-systemic compensation constitute a significant hindrance that prevents wider use of the robotic system in the treatment of RC and other abdominal malignancies in the Czech Republic.
