First-in-human robot-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection using ANSUR surgical unit^®

The ANSUR surgical unit^® is a newly formulated robot that plays the roles of both the first assistant and scopist. This surgical unit was approved as a medical device in Japan in 2023. We report the first case of robot-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection for sigmoid colon cancer using the ANSUR surgical unit.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection using the ANSUR surgical unit was planned for a 69-year-old woman with advanced sigmoid colon cancer.

Tumor resection was successfully completed without conversion to open surgery. The operative time was 147 min, and the estimated blood loss was 36 mL. The roll-in, roll-out, docking, and undocking times were 182, 36, 387, and 41 s, respectively. No mechanical failure or malfunction of the surgical unit was observed. Moreover, no adverse events related to the surgical unit were observed. The patient was discharged 5 days postoperatively without complications. The histopathological diagnosis was T3N1aM0, stage IIIB, with clear proximal and distal resection margins. During follow-up 30 days later, an uneventful patient recovery was noted.

This is the first case of robot-assisted laparoscopic sigmoid resection for sigmoid colon cancer using the ANSUR surgical unit. The procedure was performed with technical and oncological safety.