[Robot-assisted rectal surgery: hype or progress?]

Area of Science:

• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• Laparoscopic surgery is standard for rectal cancer, offering good outcomes but posing technical challenges.
• Robotic colorectal surgery has emerged as a viable minimally invasive option.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the technical advantages and outcomes of robotic-assisted colorectal surgery compared to standard laparoscopy.
• To assess the safety and feasibility of robotic surgery for rectal cancer.

Main Methods:

• Review of studies comparing robotic colorectal surgery with standard laparoscopy.
• Analysis of outcomes including conversion rates, R0 resection, and neoadjuvant treatment.

Main Results:

• Robotic surgery demonstrates safety and feasibility with comparable oncological outcomes.
• Lower conversion rates and improved R0 resection rates for low rectal cancer with larger tumors were observed.
• Increased use of neoadjuvant treatment in robotic cases compared to laparoscopy.

Conclusions:

• Robotic-assisted surgery is an attractive advancement in minimally invasive rectal cancer treatment.
• Further evaluation and mandatory outcome monitoring in registries are recommended, particularly in Germany.