Role of robotic natural orifice specimen extraction surgery in colorectal neoplasms

Hongliang Yao1, Tiegang Li1, Weidong Chen1

  • 1Department of General Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011, China.

Scientific Reports
|May 11, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Robotic Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction Surgery (NOSES) is safe and feasible for colorectal neoplasms. This robotic approach offers advantages over laparoscopic NOSES, achieving good oncological outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Colorectal Surgery
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

  • Natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) is a minimally invasive technique particularly suited for colorectal procedures.
  • While laparoscopic NOSES has been reported, robotic applications remain rare.
  • This study investigates robotic NOSES for colorectal neoplasms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and feasibility of robotic Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction Surgery (NOSES) for colorectal neoplasms.
  • To compare the outcomes of robotic NOSES with existing laparoscopic NOSES data.
  • To identify factors influencing robotic NOSES outcomes, such as tumor proximity to the anus and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nRCT).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 180 patients who underwent robotic NOSES for colorectal neoplasms between March 2016 and October 2019.
  • Collection and analysis of clinicopathological data, including patient characteristics, perioperative information, and pathological findings.
  • Grouping patients based on tumor-anus distance and nRCT status to assess their impact on robotic NOSES outcomes.

Main Results:

  • The average tumor-anus distance was 8.64 cm, and the maximum specimen circumferential diameter was 3.5 cm.
  • Key safety metrics included an average operative time of 187.5 minutes, blood loss of 47.4 mL, and a postoperative hospital stay of 11.3 days.
  • Feasibility was demonstrated by an average of 14.8 lymph nodes harvested, with robotic NOSES showing advantages over laparoscopic approaches in safety and feasibility.

Conclusions:

  • Robotic Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction Surgery (NOSES) is a safe and feasible option for treating colorectal neoplasms.
  • The robotic approach demonstrates superior safety and feasibility compared to laparoscopic NOSES.
  • Robotic NOSES can achieve favorable oncological outcomes, representing a promising advancement in minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

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