Minimally invasive, robotic-assisted resection of abdominal wall tumors: a case series

The surgical management of abdominal wall tumors poses a dual challenge: achieving oncologically sound resection while preserving abdominal wall integrity. Although traditionally approached via open surgery, robotic-assisted techniques offer promising advantages in selected patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and short-term outcomes of robotic-assisted resection of abdominal wall tumors confined to the musculofascial layer.

We retrospectively analyzed five patients who underwent robotic-assisted resection of abdominal wall tumors at a tertiary center between January 2020 and April 2025. All resections were performed using the da Vinci Xi robotic system. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed descriptively.

We included five patients (80% female) with a mean age of 56.8 years and mean BMI of 21.8 kg/m². All lesions were confined to the musculofascial layer. Four patients underwent mesh-based reconstruction, while one did not require it. The mean operative time was 144 min, and mean hospital stay was 3.4 days. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were reported. R0 resection was achieved in all cases. No hernia or tumor recurrence was observed during short-term follow-up.

Robotic-assisted resection with or without simultaneous mesh-based reconstruction appears to be a safe and feasible minimally invasive strategy for treating abdominal wall tumors confined to the musculofascial layer. Further prospective studies with larger cohorts are warranted to validate these findings.