Purpose: Robotic surgery for colorectal cancer is an emerging technique. Potential benefits as compared with the conventional laparoscopic surgery have been demonstrated. However, experience with the previous da Vinci Si robotic system revealed several unsolved problems. The novel features of the new da Vinci Xi increase operational flexibility and maneuverability and are expected to facilitate the performance of multiquadrant surgery.
Methods: Between December 2011 and May 2015, 120 patients with colon or rectal cancer were operated on using the Si robotic system (the Si group). Between May 2015 and October 2017, 60 more patients with colon or rectal cancer were operated on using the Xi robotic system (the Xi group). The clinicopathological characteristics and perioperative outcomes of these 2 groups of patients were compared.
Results: The 2 groups of patients were comparable with regard to baseline clinical characteristics, types of resection performed, and the proportion of patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. The statuses of resection margin, the numbers of lymph nodes harvested, and the rates of postoperative complications were also similar between the 2 groups. Nevertheless, a lower rate of diverting ileostomy, a shorter operation time, less estimated blood loss, and a faster postoperative recovery was observed in the Xi group.
Conclusions: Colorectal cancer surgery using the Xi robotic system was associated with improved perioperative outcomes. These benefits may be attributed to its improved, more user-friendly design.
Keywords: colon cancer; da Vinci Si; da Vinci Xi; rectal cancer; robotic surgery.