[A single-team experience with robotic pancreatic surgery in 1010 cases]

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Robotic pancreatic surgery (RPS) offers potential advantages in minimally invasive procedures.
• Assessing the safety and efficacy of RPS is crucial for its widespread adoption.
• A large single-team experience provides valuable data on RPS outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and benefits of robotic pancreatic surgery (RPS).
• To analyze outcomes from a large series of 1010 RPS cases.
• To establish RPS as a primary surgical approach for pancreatectomy.

Main Methods:

• Prospective collection and analysis of clinical data from 1010 RPS cases.
• Procedures performed between November 2011 and September 2017.
• Utilized the third-generation da Vinci robotic surgical system for most procedures.

Main Results:

• 1010 cases included various procedures: pancreatoduodenectomy, distal, central, and enucleation.
• Median operative time: 210 min; median blood loss: 80 mL; conversion rate: 4.06%.
• Complication rate (Clavien-Dindo > III): 8.0%; pancreatic fistula rate (grade B): 9.21%; mortality rate: 0.69% (30-day).

Conclusions:

• This study represents the world's largest series of robotic pancreatic resections.
• RPS is safe and effective, with potential to replace open and laparoscopic approaches.
• Experience and shared learning can minimize complications during the initial learning curve.