Functional outcomes after robotic or laparoscopic intersphincteric resection - An inverse probability weighting...

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Functional outcomes following Intersphincteric resections (ISR) using robotic versus laparoscopic approaches remain inadequately studied.
• Comparing bowel function after these minimally invasive techniques is crucial for patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the bowel functional outcomes between patients who underwent robotic Intersphincteric resection (ISR) and laparoscopic Intersphincteric resection (ISR).

Main Methods:

• A single-center, cross-sectional study involving minimally invasive ISR.
• Functional outcomes were evaluated using the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) scale, Wexner incontinence scale, and Kirwan grading.
• Baseline characteristics were balanced between groups using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW).

Main Results:

• Functional outcomes were assessed in 132 patients (85 laparoscopic, 47 robotic ISR).
• After IPTW, major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) was observed in 18.1% of laparoscopic and 18.5% of robotic ISR patients (p=0.182).
• Major incontinence rates (Wexner scale) were 18.4% for laparoscopic and 22.8% for robotic ISR (p=0.443), with similar Kirwan grades (p=0.794).

Conclusions:

• This study found no significant differences in bowel function, as measured by LARS and incontinence scales, between laparoscopic and robotic Intersphincteric resections (ISR).
• Both surgical modalities offer comparable functional outcomes for patients undergoing ISR.