Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
Robot-assisted Total Mesorectal Excision and Lateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Locally Advanced Middle-low Rectal Cancer
Published on: February 12, 2022
[Clinical Outcomes of 13 Cases of Robot-Assisted Rectal Surgery Incorporating the Ta-TME Technique]
Hodaka Tayama1, Tomohiro Miyachi, Jin Teshima
1Dept. of Surgery, Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital.
Background:
In lower rectal cancer surgery, transanal total mesorectal excision(Ta-TME)and robot-assisted surgery have been reported as useful techniques. At our institution, we initiated robot-assisted rectal surgery incorporating the 2-team Ta-TME approach in October 2023. This study evaluates the short-term surgical outcomes and reports on technical considerations, including equipment selection and setup modifications.
Methods:
A total of 13 patients underwent surgery using this approach, including 5 cases of Ta-TME, 1 of transanal intersphincteric resection(Ta-ISR), and 7 of transperineal abdominoperineal resection(Tp-APR).
Results:
The median operative time and blood loss were 219 minutes and 5 g in the Ta-TME group, 262 minutes and 70 g in the Ta-ISR case, and 257 minutes and 50 g in the Tp-APR group. No complications of Clavien-Dindo classification Grade 3b or higher were observed. One case with prostatic invasion had a positive dissection margin, but all other cases had negative dissection margins.
Conclusion:
Although the number of cases is limited, almost all procedures were completed safely and within a relatively short operative time without compromising oncological radicality. This approach also proved feasible for simultaneous procedures such as hepatectomy. Further accumulation of cases and investigation of long-term outcomes are warranted.
