A comparison of operative outcomes between standard and robotic laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Clinical effectiveness of robotic versus laparoscopic and open surgery: an overview of systematic reviews

OBJECTIVE

To undertake a review of systematic reviews on the clinical outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery across a mix of intracavity procedures, using evidence mapping to inform the decision makers on the best utilisation of robotic-assisted surgery.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

We included systematic reviews with randomised controlled trials and non-randomised controlled trials describing any clinical outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

Ovid Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library from 2017 to 2023.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

We first presented the number of systematic reviews distributed in different specialties. We then mapped the body of evidence across selected procedures and synthesised major findings of clinical outcomes. We used a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews to evaluate the quality of systematic reviews. The overlap of primary studies was managed by the corrected covered area method.

RESULTS

Our search identified 165 systematic reviews published addressing clinical evidence of robotic-assisted surgery. We found that for all outcomes except operative time, the evidence was largely positive or neutral for robotic-assisted surgery versus both open and laparoscopic alternatives. Evidence was more positive versus open. The evidence for the operative time was mostly negative. We found that most systematic reviews were of low quality due to a failure to deal with the inherent bias in observational evidence.

CONCLUSION

Robotic surgery has a strong clinical effectiveness evidence base to support the expanded use of robotic-assisted surgery in six common intracavity procedures, which may provide an opportunity to increase the proportion of minimally invasive surgeries. Given the high incremental cost of robotic-assisted surgery and longer operative time, future economic studies are required to determine the optimal use of robotic-assisted surgery capacity.

Robotic-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer: long-term results of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Robotic-assisted laparoscopy has become a widely and increasingly used modality of minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Due to its technical advantages, robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery offers benefits, such as a lower rate of conversions compared to conventional laparoscopy. Yet, data on long-term oncological outcomes after robotic-assisted laparoscopy is scarce and based on retrospective cohort studies only.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess overall survival, progression-free survival, and long-term surgical complications in patients with endometrial cancer randomly assigned to robotic-assisted or conventional laparoscopy.

STUDY DESIGN

This randomized controlled trial was conducted at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Tampere University Hospital, Finland. Between 2010 and 2013, 101 patients with low-grade endometrial cancer scheduled for minimally invasive surgery were randomized preoperatively 1:1 either to robotic-assisted or conventional laparoscopy. All patients underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and pelvic lymphadenectomy. A total of 97 patients (49 in the robotic-assisted laparoscopy group and 48 in the conventional laparoscopy group) were followed up for a minimum of 10 years. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazard models. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze risk factors for trocar site hernia.

RESULTS

In the multivariable regression analysis, overall survival was favorable in the robotic-assisted group (hazard ratio 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.99, P=.047) compared to the conventional laparoscopy group. There was no difference in progression-free survival (log-rank test, P=.598). The 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival were 98.0% (95% CI, 94.0-100) vs 97.9% (93.8-100), 91.8% (84.2-99.4) vs 93.7% (86.8-100), and 75.5% (64.5-87.5) vs 85.4% (75.4-95.4) for the conventional laparoscopy and the robotic-assisted groups, respectively. Trocar site hernia developed more often for the robotic-assisted group compared to the conventional laparoscopy group 18.2% vs 4.1% (odds ratio 5.42, 95% CI, 1.11-26.59, P=.028). The incidence of lymphocele, lymphedema, or other long-term complications did not differ between the groups.

CONCLUSION

The results of this randomized controlled trial suggest a minor overall survival benefit in endometrial cancer after robotic-assisted laparoscopy compared to conventional laparoscopy. Hence, the use of robotic-assisted technique in the treatment of endometrial cancer seems safe, though larger randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm any potential survival benefit. No alarming safety signals were detected in the robotic-assisted group since the rate of long-term complications differed only in the incidence of trocar site hernia.

Proficiency-based progression training in robot-assisted laparoscopy for endometrial cancer: peri-operative and survival outcomes from an observational cohort study

Introduction

Over the last decade there has been a transition from traditional laparoscopy to robotic surgery for the treatment of endometrial cancer. A number of gynecological oncology surgical fellowship programmes have adopted robot-assisted laparoscopy, but the effect of training on complications and survival has not been evaluated. Our aim was to assess the impact of a proficiency-based progression training curriculum in robot-assisted laparoscopy on peri-operative and survival outcomes for endometrial cancer.

Methods

This is an observational cohort study performed in a tertiary referral and subspecialty training center. Women with primary endometrial cancer treated with robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery between 2015 and 2022 were included. Surgery would normally include a hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy with some form of pelvic lymph node dissection (sentinel lymph nodes or lymphadenectomy). Training was provided according to a training curriculum which involves step-wise progression of the trainee based on proficiency to perform a certain surgical technique. Training cases were identified pre-operatively by consultant surgeons based on clinical factors. Case complexity matched the experience of the trainee. Main outcome measures were intra- and post-operative complications, blood transfusions, readmissions < 30 days, return to theater rates and 5-year disease-free and disease-specific survival for training versus non-training cases. Mann-Witney U, Pearson's chi-squared, multivariable regression, Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to assess the effect of proficiency-based progression training on peri-operative and survival outcomes.

Results

Training cases had a lower BMI than non-training cases (30 versus 32 kg/m2, p = 0.013), but were comparable in age, performance status and comorbidities. Training had no influence on intra- and post-operative complications, blood transfusions, readmissions < 30 days, return to theater rates and median 5-year disease-free and disease-specific survival. Operating time was longer in training cases (161 versus 137 min, p = < 0.001). The range of estimated blood loss was smaller in training cases. Conversion rates, critical care unit-admissions and lymphoedema rates were comparable.

Discussion

Proficiency-based progression training can be used safely to teach robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery for women with endometrial cancer. Prospective trails are needed to further investigate the influence of distinct parts of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery performed by a trainee on endometrial cancer outcomes.

Does the presence of abdominal wall adhesions make gynecologic robotic surgery difficult?

This study aimed to assess the status of abdominal wall adhesions resulting from prior surgeries and their impact on the outcomes of robotic surgery. We retrospectively reviewed clinical information, surgical outcomes, and the status of abdominal wall adhesions in patients who underwent gynecologic robotic surgery at Yamanashi Central Hospital, between April 2018 and March 2023. Abdominal wall adhesions were classified into seven locations and their presence was assessed at each site. Among the 768 cases examined, 196 showed the presence of abdominal wall adhesions. Notably, patients with a history of abdominal surgery exhibited a significantly higher incidence of abdominal wall adhesions than those without such surgical history, although no significant difference was observed in the frequency of adhesions in the upper left abdomen. Patients with a history of gynecologic, gastrointestinal, or biliopancreatic surgeries were more likely to have adhesions at the umbilicus or upper abdomen sites where trocars are typically inserted during robotic surgery. Although cases with abdominal wall adhesions experienced longer operative times than those without, there was no significant difference in estimated blood loss. In 13 cases (1.7%), adjustments in trocar placement were necessary due to abdominal wall adhesions, although none of the cases required conversion to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. Abdominal wall adhesions pose challenges to minimally invasive procedures, emphasizing the importance of predicting these adhesions based on a patient's surgical history to safely perform robotic surgery. These results suggest that the robot's flexibility proves effective in managing abdominal wall adhesions.

Temporal Trends in Treatment and Outcomes of Endometrial Carcinoma in the United States, 2005-2020

Endometrial cancer has continued to see a rising incidence in the US over the years. The main aim of this study was to assess current trends in patients' characteristics and outcomes of treatment for endometrial carcinoma over 16 years. A dataset from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for patients diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma from 2005 to 2020 was used in this retrospective, case series study. The main outcomes and measures of interest included tumor characteristics, hospitalization, treatments, mortality, and overall survival. Then, 569,817 patients who were diagnosed with endometrial carcinoma were included in this study. The mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 62.7 (11.6) years, but 66,184 patients (11.6%) were younger than 50 years, indicating that more patients are getting diagnosed at younger ages. Of the patients studied, 37,079 (6.3%) were Hispanic, 52,801 (9.3%) were non-Hispanic Black, 432,058 (75.8%) were non-Hispanic White, and 48,879 (8.6%) were other non-Hispanic. Patients in the 4th period from 2017 to 2020 were diagnosed more with stage IV (7.1% vs. 5.2% vs. 5.4% vs. 5.9%; p < 0.001) disease compared with those in the other three periods. More patients with severe comorbidities (Charlson Comorbidity Index score of three) were seen in period 4 compared to the first three periods (3.9% vs. ≤1.9%). Systemic chemotherapy use (14.1% vs. 17.7% vs. 20.4% vs. 21.1%; p < 0.001) and immunotherapy (0.01% vs. 0.01% vs. 0.2% vs. 1.1%; p < 0.001) significantly increased from period 1 to 4. The use of laparotomy decreased significantly from 42.1% in period 2 to 16.7% in period 4, while robotic surgery usage significantly increased from 41.5% in period 2 to 64.3% in period 4. The 30-day and 90-day mortality decreased from 0.6% in period 1 to 0.2% in period 4 and 1.4% in period 1 to 0.6% in period 4, respectively. Over the period studied, we found increased use of immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and minimally invasive surgery for the management of endometrial cancer. Overall, the time interval from cancer diagnosis to final surgery increased by about 6 days. The improvements observed in the outcomes examined can probably be associated with the treatment trends observed.

Robot-Assisted versus Laparoscopic Surgery for Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Patients with Gynecologic Malignancies

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes for pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) performed through conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) versus robot-assisted surgery (RAS) in patients with gynecologic malignancies.

Materials and Methods

Perioperative data, including operative time, estimated blood loss, and complications, were retrospectively analyzed in 731 patients with gynecologic malignancies who underwent transperitoneal PLND, including 460 and 271 in the CLS and RAS groups, respectively. Data were statistically analyzed using the Chi-square test or Student's t-test as appropriate. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean age was 50 ± 14 years and 53 ± 13 years in the RAS and CLS groups (P < 0.01), respectively. The mean body mass index was 23.4 ± 4.8 kg/m2 and 22.4 ± 3.6 kg/m2 in the RAS group and CLS groups (P < 0.01), respectively. The operative time, blood loss, and number of resected lymph nodes were 52 ± 15 min, 110 ± 88 mL, and 45 ± 17, respectively, in the RAS group and 46 ± 15 min, 89 ± 78 mL, and 38 ± 16, respectively, in the CLS group (all P < 0.01). The rate of Clavien-Dindo Grade ≥ III complications was 6.3% and 8.7% in the RAS and CLS groups, respectively (P = 0.17).

Conclusion

Shorter operative time and lower blood loss are achieved when PLND for gynecologic malignancies is performed through CLS rather than RAS. However, RAS results in the resection of a greater number of pelvic lymph nodes.

Is robotic surgery beneficial for the treatment of endometrial cancer? A comparison with conventional laparoscopic surgery

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the oncologic outcomes between those who underwent robotic surgery or conventional laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer. Method: We performed a retrospective review of patients from a single institution who underwent either laparoscopic or robotic surgery for the treatment of endometrial cancer between January 2010 and December 2020. Tumor characteristics, recurrence rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival were compared according to surgical approach. Results: Among the 268 patients included in this study, 95 underwent robotic surgery (35.4%) and 173 underwent laparoscopic surgery (64.6%). The median follow-up durations were 51 and 59 months for the robotic surgery and laparoscopic surgery groups, respectively (p = 0.085). The recurrence rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. (p = 0.371). Disease-free survival (p = 0.721) and overall survival (p = 0.453) were similar between the two groups. In both univariate and multivariate analyses, the type of surgery was not related to disease-free survival. The median total cost per admission was significantly higher for RS than for LS (12,123 vs. 6,884 USD, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: With consistently greater costs and similar survival outcomes, robotic systems have few advantages compared with laparoscopy.

Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy for Endometrial Cancer in People With Obesity: A Health Technology Assessment

Background

Robotic-assisted surgery has been used in Ontario hospitals for over a decade, but there is no public funding for the robotic systems or the disposables required to perform robotic-assisted surgeries ("robotics disposables"). We conducted a health technology assessment of robotic-assisted hysterectomy (RH) for the treatment of endometrial cancer in people with obesity. Our assessment included an evaluation of the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of RH, as well as the 5-year budget impact for the Ontario Ministry of Health of publicly funding RH. It also looked at the experiences, preferences, and values of people with endometrial cancer and obesity, as well as those of health care professionals who provide surgical treatment for endometrial cancer.

Methods

We performed a systematic literature search of the clinical evidence to identify systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials relevant to our research question. We reported the risk of bias from the included systematic review. We assessed the quality of the body of evidence according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) Working Group criteria. We performed a systematic economic literature search. We also analyzed the 5-year budget impact of publicly funding RH (including total, partial, and radical procedures) for people with endometrial cancer and obesity in Ontario. To contextualize the potential value of RH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity, we spoke with people with lived experience of endometrial cancer and obesity who had undergone minimally invasive surgery (either laparoscopic hysterectomy [LH] or RH), and we spoke with gynecological cancer surgeons who perform hysterectomy.

Results

We included one systematic review in the clinical evidence review. An indirect comparison showed that conversion rates to open hysterectomy (OH) were similar for LH and RH in patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2 (6.5% vs. 5.5%, respectively) (GRADE: Very low). An indirect comparison within a subset of patients with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2 showed that a higher proportion of patients who underwent LH required conversion to OH compared with patients who underwent RH (7.0% vs. 3.8%, respectively) (GRADE: Very low). Rates of perioperative complications were similarly low for both LH and RH (≤ 3.5%) (GRADE: Very low). We identified two studies that met the inclusion criteria of our economic literature review. The included economic studies found RH to be more costly than OH or LH for endometrial cancer; however, because these studies were conducted in other countries, the results were not applicable to the Ontario context. Assuming a moderate increase in the volume of robotic-assisted surgeries, our reference case analysis showed that the 5-year budget impact of publicly funding RH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity would be $1.14 million. The budget impact analysis results were sensitive to surgical volume and the cost of robotics disposables. The people we spoke with who had lived experience of endometrial cancer and obesity, as well as gynecological cancer surgeons, spoke favourably of RH and its perceived benefits over OH and LH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity.

Conclusions

Compared with LH, RH is associated with fewer conversions to OH in patients with endometrial cancer and obesity (i.e., those with a BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2). Rates of perioperative complications were similarly low for both LH and RH. The cost-effectiveness of RH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity is unknown. We estimate that the 5-year budget impact of publicly funding RH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity would be $1.14 million. People we spoke with who had lived experience of endometrial cancer and obesity reported favourably on their experiences with minimally invasive hysterectomy (either LH or RH) and emphasized the importance of the availability of safe surgical options for people with obesity. Gynecological surgeons perceived RH as a superior alternative to OH and LH for people with endometrial cancer and obesity.

Trends in surgical approach to hysterectomy and perioperative outcomes in Michigan hospitals from 2010 through 2020

The objective of this study was to determine the trends in surgical approach to hysterectomy over the last decade and compare perioperative outcomes and complications. This retrospective cohort study used clinical registry data from the Michigan Hospitals that participated in Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative (MSQC) from January 1st, 2010 through December 30th, 2020. A multigroup time series analysis was performed to determine how surgical approach to hysterectomy [open/TAH, laparoscopic (TLH/LAVH), and robotic-assisted (RA)] has changed over the last decade. Abnormal uterine bleeding, uterine fibroids, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse, endometriosis, pelvic mass, and endometrial cancer were the most common indications for hysterectomy. The open approach to hysterectomy declined from 32.6 to 16.9%, a 1.9-fold decrease, with an average decline of 1.6% per year (95% CI - 2.3 to - 0.9%). Laparoscopic-assisted hysterectomies decreased from 27.2 to 23.8%, a 1.5-fold decrease, with an average decrease of 0.1% per year (95% CI - 0.7 to 0.6%). Finally, the robotic-assisted approach increased from 38.3 to 49.3%, a 1.25-fold increase, with an average of 1.1% per year (95% CI 0.5 to 1.7%). For malignant cases, open procedures decreased from 71.4 to 26.6%, a 2.7-fold decrease, while RA-hysterectomy increased from 19.0 to 58.7%, a 3.1-fold increase. After controlling for the confounding variables age, race, and gynecologic malignancy, RA hysterectomy was found to have the lowest rate of complications when compared to the vaginal, laparoscopic and open approaches. Finally, after controlling for uterine weight, black patients were twice as likely to undergo an open hysterectomy compared to white patients.

Can robotic-assisted surgery support enhanced recovery programs?

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols comprise a multimodal approach to optimize patient outcome and recovery. ERAS guidelines recommend minimally invasive surgery (MIS) when possible. Key components in MIS include preoperative patient education and optimization; multimodal and narcotic-sparing analgesia; prophylactic measures regarding nausea, infection, and venous thrombosis; maintenance of euvolemia; and promotion of the early activity. ERAS protocols in MIS improve outcome mainly in terms of reduced length of stay and subsequently reduced cost. In addition, ERAS protocols in MIS reduce postoperative pain and nausea, increase patient satisfaction, and might reduce the rate of postoperative complications. Robotic surgery supports ERAS through facilitating MIS in complex procedures where laparotomy is an alternative approach.

Endometrial Cancer. Guideline of the DGGG, DKG and DKH (S3-Level, AWMF Registry Number 032/034-OL, September 2022) - Part 2 with Recommendations on the Therapy of Precancerous Lesions and Early-stage Endometrial Cancer, Surgical Therapy, Radiotherapy and Drug-based Therapy, Follow-up Care, Recurrence and Metastases, Psycho-oncological Care, Palliative Care, Patient Education, and Rehabilitative and Physiotherapeutic Care

Summary The S3-guideline on endometrial cancer, first published in April 2018, was reviewed in its entirety between April 2020 and January 2022 and updated. The review was carried out at the request of German Cancer Aid as part of the Oncology Guidelines Program and the lead coordinators were the German Society for Gynecology and Obstetrics (DGGG), the Gynecology Oncology Working Group (AGO) of the German Cancer Society (DKG) and the German Cancer Aid (DKH). The guideline update was based on a systematic search and assessment of the literature published between 2016 and 2020. All statements, recommendations and background texts were reviewed and either confirmed or amended. New statements and recommendations were included where necessary. Aim The use of evidence-based risk-adapted therapies to treat low-risk women with endometrial cancer prevents unnecessarily radical surgery and avoids non-beneficial adjuvant radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. For women with endometrial cancer and a high risk of recurrence, the guideline defines the optimum level of radical surgery and indicates whether chemotherapy and/or adjuvant radiation therapy is necessary. This should improve the survival rates and quality of life of these patients. The S3-guideline on endometrial cancer and the quality indicators based on the guideline aim to provide the basis for the work of certified gynecological cancer centers. Methods The guideline was first compiled in 2018 in accordance with the requirements for S3-level guidelines and was updated in 2022. The update included an adaptation of the source guidelines identified using the German Instrument for Methodological Guideline Appraisal (DELBI). The update also used evidence reviews which were created based on selected literature obtained from systematic searches in selected literature databases using the PICO process. The Clinical Guidelines Service Group was tasked with carrying out a systematic search and assessment of the literature. Their results were used by interdisciplinary working groups as a basis for developing suggestions for recommendations and statements which were then modified during structured online consensus conferences and/or additionally amended online using the DELPHI process to achieve a consensus. Recommendations Part 2 of this short version of the guideline provides recommendations on the treatment of precancerous lesions and early-stage endometrial cancer, surgical treatment, radiotherapy and drug-based therapy, follow-up, recurrence, and metastasis of endometrial cancer as well as the state of psycho-oncological care, palliative care, patient education, rehabilitative and physiotherapeutic care.

Intra-operative tumor spillage in minimally invasive surgery for endometrial cancer and its impact on recurrence risk

OBJECTIVE

The prognostic impact of intra-operative tumor spillage (ITS) during minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for endometrial cancer (EC) is not well studied. The objective of this study was to determine if there is an association between ITS and EC recurrence.

METHODS

We performed a case-control study of patients with a laparoscopic or robot-assisted hysterectomy with EC on final pathology between 2017 and 2022 and compared those with (case) and without (control) a subsequent EC recurrence. Electronic medical records were reviewed for demographic, intra-operative and pathologic details, and recurrence status. ITS was defined as uterine perforation with a manipulator, presence of extra-uterine tumor after colpotomy or specimen delivery, exposure of uncontained specimen into peritoneum, and/or pathology/operative reports noting specimen fragmentation. Conditional logistic regression was used to determine odds ratios for the association of cancer recurrence with ITS. We adjusted for >50% myoinvasion, tumor size, and adjuvant treatment.

RESULTS

1057 patients underwent MIS for EC. Approximately 8% (n = 86) developed recurrent cancer and 172 patients were selected as controls. Twenty percent of recurrent cases (17/86) had ITS compared with 4% of nonrecurrent controls (7/172). When adjusted for tumor size, deep myoinvasion, and adjuvant treatment, patients with ITS had a 5.6 times increased odds (aOR 5.63, 95% CI 1.52-20.86) of recurrence compared to patients without ITS.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with EC, we found an association between ITS and cancer recurrence. These findings warrant further investigation to determine if adjuvant therapy or surgical technique should be altered to improve outcomes.

Cutting-edge Treatment for Gynecological Malignancies

Gynecological malignant tumors can develop in the vulva, vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries in the female reproductive tract. The cervix, uterine body, and ovaries are particularly common sites for malignant tumors. Surgery, radiation, and drug therapy are the main treatment modalities for gynecological cancers, with surgery being the most important of them. We started laparoscopic surgery for uterine endometrial cancer as an advanced medical treatment in 2011 and contributed to its insurance coverage. We were able to reproduce our laparoscopic surgery more easily using the da Vinci Xi system for robotic surgery. We have now switched from laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer to robotic surgery and have been able to perform them safely and reliably. In the case of cervical cancer, the results of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer (LACC) trial, which compared the prognosis of two groups of radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer: conventional open surgery and laparoscopic/robotic (minimally invasive) surgery, showed that minimally invasive surgery resulted in more pelvic recurrences and had a worse prognosis compared with open surgery. The trend toward minimally invasive surgery for cervical cancer has stagnated worldwide. Ovarian cancer has few symptoms in the early stages and is often found at stage III or IV, when the cancer has spread throughout the abdominal cavity. As residual tumor after surgery correlates with prognosis in ovarian cancer, debulking surgery should be performed to achieve complete resection. Therefore, peritoneal or bowel resection is often required to remove disseminated or metastatic tumors. We also performed prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy to prevent ovarian and fallopian tube cancers in patients with BRCA1/2 gene variants. The uterus and ovaries are organs necessary for pregnancy and childbirth, and cancer of the uterus or ovaries in women of childbearing age may result in infertility. Surgery and adjuvant treatment may affect marriage, childbirth, and sexual life; therefore, it is important to ensure the cure of cancer and to provide patients with treatment methods that allow them to live their lives as women.

Simple radiologic assessment of visceral obesity and prediction of surgical morbidity in endometrial cancer patients undergoing laparoscopic aortic lymphadenectomy: A reliability and accuracy study

AIM

To evaluate the reliability of sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD)-a surrogate of visceral obesity-in magnetic resonance imaging, and its accuracy to predict the surgical morbidity of aortic lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

We conducted a multicenter reliability (phase 1) and accuracy (phase 2) cohort study in three Spanish referral hospitals. We retrospectively analyzed data from the STELLA-2 randomized controlled trial that included high-risk endometrial cancer patients undergoing minimally invasive surgical staging. Patients were classified into subgroups: conventional versus robotic-assisted laparoscopy, and transperitoneal versus extraperitoneal technique. In the first phase, we measured the agreement of three SAD measurements (at the umbilicus, renal vein, and inferior mesenteric artery) and selected the most reliable one. In phase 2, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of SAD to predict surgical morbidity. Surgical morbidity was the main outcome measure, it was defined by a core outcome set including variables related to blood loss, operative time, surgical complications, and para-aortic lymphadenectomy difficulty.

RESULTS

In phase 1, all measurements showed good inter-rater and intra-rater agreement. Umbilical SAD (u-SAD) was the most reliable one. In phase 2, we included 136 patients. u-SAD had a good diagnostic accuracy to predict surgical morbidity in patients undergoing transperitoneal laparoscopic lymphadenectomy (0.73 in ROC curve). It performed better than body mass index and other anthropometric measurements. We calculated a cut-off point of 246 mm (sensitivity: 0.56, specificity: 0.80).

CONCLUSIONS

u-SAD is a simple, reliable, and potentially useful measurement to predict surgical morbidity in endometrial cancer patients undergoing minimally invasive surgical staging, especially when facing transperitoneal aortic lymphadenectomy.

Laparoscopic vs. open procedure for intermediate‑ and high‑risk endometrial cancer: a minimum 4-year follow-up analysis

BACKGROUND

The long-term oncologic outcomes after laparoscopic and open procedures for patients with intermediate‑ and high‑risk endometrial cancer (EC) remain unclear. Accordingly, laparoscopy cannot still be recommended as the standard choice for intermediate‑ and high‑risk EC. This retrospective study aimed to assess the perioperative and long-term oncologic outcomes of laparoscopy and open surgery in patients with intermediate- and high‑risk ECs within a minimum 4-year follow-up.

METHODS

We included 201 patients who underwent laparoscopic or open procedures for intermediate‑ and high‑risk EC between 2010 and 2017. Between-procedure comparisons of perioperative and oncological outcomes were performed using the independent t-test or Pearson's chi-squared test and the Kaplan-Meier method, respectively.

RESULTS

Finally, there were 136 intermediate‑ and 65 high‑risk endometrial tumors in the laparoscopic and open groups, respectively. There were no between-group differences in all baseline characteristics. Compared with the open group, the laparoscopic group had a significantly longer mean operating time (p = 0.005) and a lower mean estimated blood loss (EBL) (p = 0.031). There was a higher possibility of postoperative complication in the open group than in the laparoscopic group (p = 0.048). There were no significant between-group differences in pathological outcomes as well as the recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates (p = 0.626 and p = 0.148, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Among patients with intermediate‑ and high‑risk EC, laparoscopic surgery has an advantage over the open surgery in reducing EBL and the rate of postoperative complications without weakening the oncological control. There were no between-procedure differences in the recurrence-free and overall survival rates.

The value of surgical admissions for malignant uterine cancer. A comparative analysis of robotic, laparoscopic, and laparotomy surgery in a university hospital

Background

Robotic surgery for malignant uterine cancer raises issue of economic sustainability for providers. The objective of this study was to assess the value of surgical admissions for malignant uterine cancer in a University Hospital through an analysis of their costs and outcomes by comparing three different surgical approaches (laparotomy, laparoscopic, and robotic surgery).

Methods

Hospitalizations between 1 January 2019 and 31 October 2021 for malignant uterine cancer surgery were selected and stratified. For each surgical approach, mean values (with 95% confidence intervals, CI) were calculated for cost items. Moreover, 30-day readmission frequency was calculated for the three approaches compared to each other. ANOVA and Student's t-test and relative risk (RR) were used for statistical analysis. A break-even analysis was carried out by evaluating the volume of robotic and non-robotic surgical admissions.

Results

A total of 1,336 hospitalizations were included in the study, 366 with robotic, 591 with laparoscopic, and 379 with laparotomy surgery. Robotic surgery, compared to laparoscopic and laparotomy ones, showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) in the economic margin, which was largely negative (-1069.18 €; 95%CI:-1240.44--897.92 €) mainly due to devices cost, and a lower percentage of 30-day readmissions (1.4%; 95%CI: 0.2-2.6%), with a statistically significant difference only vs. laparotomy (p = 0.029). Laparoscopic compared to laparotomy surgery showed a significantly (p < 0,001) more profitable economic margin (1692.21 €; 95%CI: 1531.75 €-1852.66 €) without a significant difference for 30-day readmissions. Break-even analysis showed that, on average, for each malignant uterine cancer elective surgery performed laparoscopically, 1.58 elective robotic surgeries are sustainable for the hospital (95% CI: 1.23-2.06).

Conclusion

Break-even analysis could be a useful tool to support hospital management in planning and governance of malignant uterine cancer surgery. Systematic application of this tool will allow defining over time right distribution of robotic, laparoscopic, and laparotomy surgeries' volumes to perform to ensure both quality and economic-financial balance and therefore value of uterine oncological surgery. Concerning research, this study paves the way for a multicentric study, the extension of outcomes of malignant uterine surgery to be considered and assessed, and the future inclusion of other therapeutic interventions in the analysis.

Impact of type of minimally invasive approach on open conversions across ten common procedures in different specialties

BACKGROUND

Conversion rates during minimally invasive surgery are generally examined in the limited scope of a particular procedure. However, for a hospital or payor, the cumulative impact of conversions during commonly performed procedures could have a much larger negative effect than what is appreciated by individual surgeons. The aim of this study is to assess open conversion rates during minimally invasive surgery (MIS) across common procedures using laparoscopic/thoracoscopic (LAP/VATS) and robotic-assisted (RAS) approaches.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study using the Premier Database on patients who underwent common operations (hysterectomy, lobectomy, right colectomy, benign sigmoidectomy, low anterior resection, inguinal and ventral hernia repair, and partial nephrectomy) between January 2013 and September 2015. ICD-9 and CPT codes were used to define procedures, modality, and conversion. Propensity scores were calculated using patient, hospital, and surgeon characteristics. Propensity-score matched analysis was used to compare conversions between LAP/VATS and RAS for each procedure.

RESULTS

A total of 278,520 patients had MIS approaches of the ten operations. Conversion occurred in 5% of patients and was associated with a 1.77 day incremental increase in length of stay and $3441 incremental increase in cost. RAS was associated with a 58.5% lower rate of conversion to open surgery compared to LAP/VATS.

CONCLUSION

At a health system or payer level, conversion to open is detrimental not just for the patient and surgeon but also puts a significant strain on hospital resources. Use of RAS was associated with less than half of the conversion rate observed for LAP/VATS.

Robotic surgery in gynaecology: Scientific Impact Paper No. 71 (July 2022)

The use of robotic-assisted keyhole surgery in gynaecology has expanded in recent years owing to technical advances. These include 3D viewing leading to improved depth perception, limitation of tremor, potential for greater precision and discrimination of tissues, a shorter learning curve and improved comfort for surgeons compared with conventional keyhole and open abdominal surgery. Robotic-assisted keyhole surgery, compared with conventional keyhole surgery, improves surgical performance without increasing operating time, minimises blood loss and intra- or postoperative complications, while reducing the need to revert to abdominal surgery. Moreover, surgeons using a robot experience fewer skeletomuscular problems of their own in the short and long term than those operating without a robot as an additional tool. This Scientific Impact Paper looks at the use of a robot in different fields of gynaecological surgery. A robot could be considered safe and a more effective surgical tool than conventional keyhole surgery for women who have to undergo complex gynaecology surgery or have associated medical issues such as body-mass index (BMI) at 30 kg/m² or above or lung problems. The introduction of the use of robots in keyhole surgery has resulted in a decrease in the number of traditional open surgeries and the risk of conversion to open surgery after traditional keyhole surgery; both of which should be considered when examining the cost-benefit of using a robot. Limitations of robotic-assisted surgery remain the associated higher costs. In womb cancer surgery there is good evidence that introducing robotics into the service improves outcomes for women and may reduce costs.

Research on the Economics of Cancer-Related Health Care: An Overview of the Review Literature

We reviewed current literature reviews regarding economics of cancer-related health care to identify focus areas and gaps. We searched PubMed for systematic and other reviews with the Medical Subject Headings "neoplasms" and "economics" published between January 1, 2010, and April 1, 2020, identifying 164 reviews. Review characteristics were abstracted and described. The majority (70.7%) of reviews focused on cost-effectiveness or cost-utility analyses. Few reviews addressed other types of cancer health economic studies. More than two-thirds of the reviews examined cancer treatments, followed by screening (15.9%) and survivorship or end-of-life (13.4%). The plurality of reviews (28.7%) cut across cancer site, followed by breast (20.7%), colorectal (11.6%), and gynecologic (8.5%) cancers. Specific topics addressed cancer screening modalities, novel therapies, pain management, or exercise interventions during survivorship. The results indicate that reviews do not regularly cover other phases of care or topics including financial hardship, policy, and measurement and methods.

Endometrial cancer

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynaecological cancer in high income countries and its incidence is rising globally. Although an ageing population and fewer benign hysterectomies have contributed to this trend, the growing prevalence of obesity is the major underlying cause. Obesity poses challenges for diagnosis and treatment and more research is needed to offer primary prevention to high-risk women and to optimise endometrial cancer survivorship. Early presentation with postmenopausal bleeding ensures most endometrial cancers are cured by hysterectomy but those with advanced disease have a poor prognosis. Minimally invasive surgical staging and sentinel-lymph-node biopsy provides a low morbidity alternative to historical surgical management without compromising oncological outcomes. Adjuvant radiotherapy reduces loco-regional recurrence in intermediate-risk and high-risk cases. Advances in our understanding of the molecular biology of endometrial cancer have paved the way for targeted chemotherapeutic strategies, and clinical trials will establish their benefit in adjuvant, advanced, and recurrent disease settings in the coming years.

Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Breast Surgery: Recent Evidence with Comparative Clinical Outcomes

In recent times, robot-assisted surgery has been prominently gaining pace to minimize overall postsurgical complications with minimal traumatization, due to technical advancements in telerobotics and ergonomics. The aim of this review is to explore the efficiency of robot-assisted systems for executing breast surgeries, including microsurgeries, direct-to-implant breast reconstruction, deep inferior epigastric perforators-based surgery, latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction, and nipple-sparing mastectomy. Robot-assisted surgery systems are efficient due to 3D-based visualization, dexterity, and range of motion while executing breast surgery. The review describes the comparative efficiency of robot-assisted surgery in relation to conventional or open surgery, in terms of clinical outcomes, morbidity rates, and overall postsurgical complication rates. Potential cost-effective barriers and technical skills were also delineated as the major limitations associated with these systems in the clinical sector. Furthermore, instrument articulation of robot-assisted surgical systems (for example, da Vinci systems) can enable high accuracy and precision surgery due to its promising ability to mitigate tremors at the time of surgery, and shortened learning curve, making it more beneficial than other open surgery procedures.

The Role of Robotic Visceral Surgery in Patients with Adhesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abdominal adhesions are a risk factor for conversion to open surgery. An advantage of robotic surgery is the lower rate of unplanned conversions. A systematic review was conducted using the terms “laparoscopic” and “robotic”. Inclusion criteria were: comparative studies evaluating patients undergoing laparoscopic and robotic surgery; reporting data on conversion to open surgery for each group due to adhesions and studies including at least five patients in each group. The main outcomes were the conversion rates due to adhesions and surgeons’ expertise (novice vs. expert). The meta-analysis included 70 studies from different surgical specialities with 14,329 procedures (6472 robotic and 7857 laparoscopic). The robotic approach was associated with a reduced risk of conversion (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.12–2.10, p = 0.007). The analysis of the procedures performed by “expert surgeons” showed a statistically significant difference in favour of robotic surgery (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.03–2.12, p = 0.03). A reduced conversion rate due to adhesions with the robotic approach was observed in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.20–5.72, p = 0.02). The robotic approach could be a valid option in patients with abdominal adhesions, especially in the subgroup of those undergoing colorectal cancer resection performed by expert surgeons.

Peri-operative and survival outcomes analysis of patients with endometrial cancer managed by three surgical approaches: a long-term Bulgarian experience

The study aim was to assess the peri-operative, oncologic, and survival outcomes for patients with endometrial cancer (EC) managed by abdominal hysterectomy (AH), laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH), or robotic hysterectomy (RH) approaches at premier centers in Bulgaria. We analyzed histologically diagnosed EC cases operated via any of the three surgical methods during 2008-2019. Data analyses included patients and tumor characteristics, peri-operative outcomes, and disease status. We grouped FIGO stages I and II to represent early-stage EC and to investigate their survival. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to determine disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Consecutive 917 patients (AH = 466; LH = 60, RH = 391) formed the basis of study analyses. Most of demographics and tumor characteristics of the patients were comparable across the groups except few minor variations (e.g., LH/RH cases were younger, heavier, more stage IA, endometrioid, G1, low-risk group). LH and RH group cases had significantly lower operative time than AH (p < 0.001), shorter hospital length-of-stay (p < 0.001), higher post-operative Hgb (p < 0.001). RH cases had fewer blood transfusions than AH or LH (p < 0.001). Cox multivariate analyses indicate that OS was not influenced by the type of surgical approach. Despite the fact that the DFS in "early-stage" EC is significantly better in AH group than RH, the type of surgery (i.e., AH, LH, or RH) for "all stages" is insignificant factor for DFS. With our long-term experience, minimally invasive surgical approach resulted in superior peri-operative, oncologic, and survival outcomes. Specifically, RH is not only safe in terms of post-operative results, but also for mortality and oncologic rates.

Determinants of Surgical Approach and Survival Among Women with Endometrial Carcinoma

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate determinants of surgical approach among women with endometrial carcinoma (EC) and associations between surgical approach and overall survival (OS).

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort.

SETTING

The National Cancer Database, 2010 to 2015.

PATIENTS

A total of 140 470 patients with histologically confirmed EC who underwent hysterectomy.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were grouped according to surgical approach.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A total of 140 470 patients with EC were included. Robotic-assisted laparoscopy (RAL) was the most common surgical approach (48.8%), followed by laparotomy (33.6%) and traditional laparoscopy (17.6%). Use of RAL increased over the study period, and the percentages of cases managed by laparotomy decreased. Older women, those with insurance, residing in ZIP codes with lower proportions of individuals who did not graduate from high school, and those treated at noncommunity cancer programs were less likely to undergo laparotomy than RAL, and non-white women, those diagnosed with high-grade histology, and those with advanced-stage EC were more likely to undergo laparotomy than RAL. Compared with RAL, all other surgical approaches were associated with worse OS (laparotomy: hazard ratio 1.21; 95% confidence interval, 1.18-1.25; traditional laparoscopy: hazard ratio 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.09). Significant effect modification of the surgical approach and OS relationship according to age, race, histology, stage, and adjuvant treatment was observed.

CONCLUSION

RAL increased in frequency over the study period and was associated with improved OS, supporting the continued use of RAL for EC management.

Efficacy of da Vinci robot-assisted lymph node surgery than conventional axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer - A comparative study

BACKGROUND

da Vinci robot-assisted axillary lymph node dissection (dVALND) can be a minimally invasive technique to minimize post-operative complications.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the clinical efficacy of dVALND in breast cancer (BC) patients for mitigating the postoperative complications than conventional ALND.

METHODS

Total 60 female patients with BC were admitted to our hospitals since September 2018, and these patients segregated into two groups of 30 patients each. Modified radical mastectomy for BC was performed to the patients in both groups. In Group 1 (control group), ALND was performed using conventional mode of axillary lymph node surgery. In Group 2 (Test group), the dVALND was performed using da Vinci robot-assisted surgery. Wound healing, aesthetic effect and patient's satisfaction were evaluated after conventional method and dVALND.

RESULTS

Postoperative complications viz., wound infection (1/30 (3.33%), p < 0.05), fat necrosis (3/30 (10%), p < 0.05) and lymphedema of upper limbs (2/30 (6.67%), p < 0.05) were observed in dVALND than conventional surgery. Local recurrence or metastasis was minimized and overall aesthetic effect not observed during follow-up.

CONCLUSION

dVALND improved the overall patient's quality of life by mitigating postoperative complications than ALND.

Economic evaluation of different routes of surgery for the management of endometrial cancer: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The benefits of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for endometrial carcinoma (EC) are well established although the financial impact of robotic-assisted hysterectomy (RH) compared with laparoscopic hysterectomy (LH) is disputed.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

English National Health Service hospitals 2011-2017/2018.

PARTICIPANTS

35 304 women having a hysterectomy for EC identified from Hospital Episode Statistics.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was the association between route of surgery on cost at intervention, 30, 90 and 365 days for women undergoing an open hysterectomy (OH) or MIS (LH/RH) for EC in England. The average marginal effect was calculated to compare RH versus OH and RH versus LH which adjusted for any differences in the characteristics of the surgical approaches. Secondary outcomes were to analyse costing data for each surgical approach by age, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and hospital MIS rate classification.

RESULTS

A total of 35 304 procedures were performed, 20 405 (57.8%) were MIS (LH: 18 604 and RH: 1801), 14 291 (40.5%) OH. Mean cost for LH was significantly less than RH, whereas RH was significantly less than OH at intervention, 30, 90 and 365 days (p<0.001). Over time, patients who underwent RH had increasing CCI scores and by the 2015/2016 year had a higher average CCI than LH. Comparing the cost of LH and RH against CCI score identified that the costs closely reflected the patients' CCI. Increasing disparity was also seen between the MIS and OH costs with rising age. When exploring the association between provider volume, MIS rate and surgical costs, there was an association with the higher the MIS rate the lower the average cost.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is needed to investigate costs in matched patient cohorts to determine the optimum surgical modality in different populations.

Robotic platforms for endometrial cancer treatment: review of the literature

INTRODUCTION

The cornerstone in the management of endometrial cancer (EC) is surgical staging. Over the last few decades, minimally invasive surgery has been widely accepted as a mainstay in the treatment of endometrial cancer. The first robotic-assisted gynecological surgery was performed in 1998.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

The literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE and PUBMED databases from January 1998 to September 2020.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Several studies have reported the advantages of robotic-assisted surgery over laparoscopy in the management of EC. These are most pronounced in obese patients. Robotic-assisted surgery is also associated with a shorter learning curve, particularly for lymphadenectomy, which enables more surgeons to perform minimally invasive surgery for EC.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness and oncological results of robotic surgery for EC appear to be similar to those of other surgical methods, but fewer intraoperative complications occur than with other methods.

Clinical Outcomes of Robotic Surgery Compared to Conventional Surgical Approaches (Laparoscopic or Open): A Systematic Overview of Reviews

OBJECTIVE

Describe clinical outcomes (eg, postoperative complications, survival) after robotic surgery compared to open or laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND

Robotic surgery utilization has increased over the years across a wide range of surgical procedures. However, evidence supporting improved clinical outcomes after robotic surgery is limited.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of systematic reviews from inception to January 2019 for systematic reviews describing postoperative outcomes after robotic surgery. We qualitatively described patient outcomes of commonly performed robotic procedures: radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy, lobectomy, thymectomy, rectal resection, partial nephrectomy, distal gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, hepatectomy, distal pancreatectomy, and cholecystectomy.

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-four systematic reviews included 336 studies and 18 randomized controlled trials reporting on patient outcomes after robotic compared to laparoscopic or open procedures. Data from the randomized controlled trials demonstrate that robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy offered fewer biochemical recurrence and improvement in quality of recovery and pain scores only up to 6 weeks postoperatively compared to open radical prostatectomy. When compared to laparoscopic prostatectomy, robotic surgery offered improved urinary and sexual functions. Robotic surgery for endometrial cancer had fewer conversion to open compared to laparoscopic. Otherwise, robotic surgery outcomes were similar to conventional surgical approaches for other procedures except for radical hysterectomy where minimally invasive approaches may result in patient harm compared to open approach.

CONCLUSION

Robotic surgery has been widely incorporated into practise despite limited supporting evidence. More rigorous research focused on patient-important benefits is needed before further expansion of robotic surgery.

Laparoscopic vs. robotic-assisted laparoscopy in endometrial cancer staging: large retrospective single-institution study

Objective

The aim of this study is to analyze and draw the potential differences between the robotic-assisted surgery (RS) and the laparoscopy (LPS) in endometrial cancer staging.

Methods

In this single-institution retrospective study we enrolled 1,221 consecutive clinical stage I–III endometrial cancer patients undergone minimally invasive surgical staging. We compared patients treated by LPS and by RS, on the basis of perioperative and oncological outcomes (disease-free survival [DFS] and overall survival [OS]). A sub-analysis of the high-risk endometrial cancer population was performed in the 2 cohorts.

Results

The 2 cohorts (766 treated by LPS and 455 by RS) were homogeneous in terms of perioperative and pathological data. We recorded differences in number of relapse/progression (11.7% in LPS vs. 7% in RS, p=0.008) and in number of deaths (9.8% in LPS vs. 4.8% in RS, p=0.002). Whereas, univariate and multivariate analyses according to DFS and OS confirmed that the surgical approach did not influence the DFS or the OS. In the multivariable analysis the association of the age and grading was significant for DFS and OS. In the sub-analysis of the 426 high risk EC patients (280 in LPS and 146 in RS) the univariate and the multivariate confirmed the influence of the age in DFS and OS, independently of the minimally invasive approach.

Conclusions

In our large retrospective analysis, we confirmed that the RS and LPS have similar efficacy and safety for endometrial cancer staging also for the high-risk endometrial cancer patients.

Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Hysterectomy for Endometrial Hyperplasia or Grade 1 Endometrial Adenocarcinoma: A 10-year, Single-Centre Experience

OBJECTIVE

To describe the outcomes of patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy for grade-1 endometroid endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia at our centre.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review was completed for 160 patients who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy by 5 general gynaecologists in a tertiary care setting between September 2008 and September 2018. Outcomes collected included operative time, estimated blood loss, length of stay, perioperative complications, readmissions, and recurrences. Subgroup analysis was completed after stratifying by body mass index (BMI; 3 groups: A, <40 kg/m²; B, 40-50 kg/m²; and C, >50 kg/m²). Subgroups were compared with ANOVA or Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

The intraoperative complication rate was 3%. The rate of conversion to laparotomy was 2%, and the rate of bowel injury, 1%. The postoperative complication rate was 8%. The rate of major postoperative complications was 4%, and 3% of patients required readmission postoperatively. The mean BMI was 43 (range 21-71) kg/m². There were no differences in perioperative complication, readmission, or recurrence rates between subgroups. Groups B and C were more likely to have had an ASA of 3-4, suggesting a higher burden of comorbidity. Operating room time, procedure time, and estimated blood loss were higher in group C.

CONCLUSION

Despite this cohort's mean BMI falling within the category of class III obesity, complication and conversion rates were similar to those reported in the literature and did not increase with BMI, despite an increased comorbidity burden. These results suggest that robotic surgery is a safe and effective method for providing minimally invasive surgery to a technically challenging population.

Robotic-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer

Objective

The safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted laparoscopic hysterectomy (RALH) compared with conventional total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) for surgical staging of endometrial cancer has not been clearly established. With the commencement of a robotic program at our institution, our objective was to evaluate and compare the surgical outcomes of RALH with TLH for endometrial cancer.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed on 39 patients who underwent RALH and 41 patients who underwent TLH for endometrial cancer at a tertiary care academic institution.

Results

In the setting of endometrial cancer RALH is significantly longer to perform than TLH (mean operating time 133 min vs 107 min, p = 0.0001). There is higher estimated blood loss in TLH cases than RALH cases (78 mL vs 22 mL, p = 0.015). Women who underwent RALH had a shorter length of stay (1.3 days vs 1.8 days, p = 0.006) than TLH patients, and six cases (15 %) of the RALH group were discharged on the same day of surgery. There were no differences between the RALH and TLH groups in intraoperative or postoperative complications and there were no conversions to laparotomy.

Conclusion

RALH is safe and feasible for the treatment of endometrial cancer, with low morbidity, less blood loss and shorter length of stay than TLH. RALH is associated with longer mean operating times than TLH and this may improve with enlisting a consistent experienced team. Prospective randomised studies which include analysis of quality of life measures and long-term outcomes are required to further establish the role of RALH in the surgical staging of endometrial cancer.

Short-term outcomes of robot-assisted versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for early-stage endometrial cancer: A retrospective, single-center study

AIM

We compared the short-term outcomes between conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) and robot-assisted surgery (RAS) to assess the technical feasibility of the latter for early-stage endometrial cancer.

METHODS

We retrospectively compared the perioperative outcomes between two groups of 223 patients (CLS group, n = 102; RAS group, n = 121) with early-stage endometrial cancer. Surgical procedures included hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy. We analyzed the data from intrapelvic surgery alone because para-aortic lymphadenectomy was performed via conventional endoscopic extraperitoneal approach without robot for both groups.

RESULTS

No differences were identified in patients' age and body mass index. The mean operative time was 133 ± 28 versus 178 ± 41 min (P < 0.01), mean blood loss was 196 ± 153 versus 237 ± 146 mL (P = 0.047), mean length of postoperative hospital stay was 9 ± 4 versus 8 ± 3 days (P = 0.01) and mean rate of perioperative complications of Clavien-Dindo grade III or higher was 2.0 versus 3.4% (P = 0.53) for the CLS versus RAS groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the number of resected lymph nodes.

CONCLUSION

The operative time was significantly longer and blood loss was significantly greater in the RAS group than in the CLS group, without a significant difference in the number of resected lymph nodes. These differences are within an acceptable clinical range, showing that RAS is feasible and safe for early-stage endometrial cancer, providing short-term outcomes comparable to those of conventional surgery. Future studies are warranted to compare the long-term oncological outcomes by extending the observation period and including para-aortic lymphadenectomy data.

Obesity and Kidney Stone Procedures

Obesity is a chronic disease that has increased in prevalence in the United States and is a risk factor for the development of nephrolithiasis. As with other medical conditions, obesity should be considered when optimizing surgical management and choosing kidney stone procedures for patients. In this review, we outline the various procedures available for treating stone disease and discuss any discrepancies in outcomes or complications for the obese cohort.

How to train practising gynaecologists in total laparoscopic hysterectomy: protocol for the stepped-wedge IMAGINE trial

INTRODUCTION

Hysterectomy is the most common major gynaecological procedure in women and minimally invasive approaches should be used wherever possible; total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is one such surgical approach which allows removal of the uterus entirely laparoscopically. However, lack of surgical training opportunities is impeding its increased adoption. This study will formally test a surgical outreach training model to equip surgeons with the skills to provide TLH as an alternative to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH).

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Stepped wedge implementation trial of a surgical training programme for practising obstetrician gynaecologist specialists in four hospitals.

PRIMARY OUTCOMES

Change in the proportion of hysterectomies performed by TAH, measured between preintervention and postintervention; we aim to reduce TAH by at least 30% in 75% of the trainees.

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

(1) Number of hospitals screened, eligible, agree to training and complete the training; (2) number of surgeons screened for eligibility, eligible, agree to training, who complete training and achieve proficiency; (3) proportion of trainees achieving proficiency in correct theatre setup, vascular exposure, mobilisation and surgery closure; change in proportion proficient over time; (4) adverse events (conversion from TLH to TAH, anaesthetic incident, intraoperative visceral injury, red cell transfusions, hospital stay >7 days, incidental finding of malignancy, unplanned readmission, admission to intensive care, return to theatre, postoperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis, development of a fistula, vault haematoma, vaginal vault dehiscence or pelvic infection); (5) hospital length-of-stay; (6) cost-effectiveness and (7) trainee surgeon proficiency with TLH.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The study has been approved by the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital Human Research Ethics Committee and has received site-specific approval from all participating hospitals. Results will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT03617354; Pre-results.

Robotic-assisted versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Robotic surgery, an emerging technology, has some potential advantages in many complicated endoscopic procedures compared with laparoscopic surgery. But robot-assisted cholecystectomy (RAC) is still a controversial issue on its comparative merit compared with conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of RAC compared with LC for benign gallbladder disease.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases (from their inception to December 2017) to obtain comparative studies assessing the safety and efficacy between RAC and LC. The quality of the literature was assessed, and the data analyzed using R software, random effects models were applied.

RESULTS

Twenty-six studies, including 5 RCTs and 21 NRCSs (3 prospective plus 18 retrospective), were included. A total of 4004 patients were included, of which 1833 patients (46%) underwent RAC and 2171 patients (54%) underwent LC. No significant differences were found in intraoperative complications, postoperative complications, readmission rate, hospital stay, estimated blood loss, and conversion rate between RAC and LC groups. However, RAC was related to longer operative time compared with LC (MD = 12.04 min, 95% CI 7.26-16.82) in RCT group, which was consistent with NRCS group; RAC also had a higher rate of incisional hernia in NRCS group (RR = 3.06, 95% CI 1.42-6.57), and one RCT reported that RAC was similar to LC (RR = 7.00, 95% CI 0.38-129.84).

CONCLUSIONS

The RAC was not found to be more effective or safer than LC for benign gallbladder diseases, which indicated that RAC is a developing procedure instead of replacing LC at once. Given the higher costs, the current evidence is in favor of LC in cholecystectomy.

A comparison of operative outcomes between standard and robotic laparoscopic surgery for endometrial cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence has been systematically assessed comparing robotic with standard laparoscopy for treatment of endometrial cancer.

METHODS

A search of Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases was performed until 30th October 2016.

RESULTS

Thirty-six papers including 33 retrospective studies, two matched case-control studies and one randomized controlled study were used in a meta-analysis. Information from a further seven registry/database studies were assessed descriptively. There were no differences in the duration of surgery but days stay in hospital were shorter in the robotic arm (0.46 days, 95%CI 0.26 to 0.66). A robotic approach had less blood loss (57.74 mL, 95%CI 38.29 to 77.20), less conversions to laparotomy (RR = 0.41, 95%CI 0.29 to 0.59), and less overall complications (RR = 0.82, 95%CI 0.72 to 0.93). A robotic approach had higher costs ($1746.20, 95%CI $63.37 to $3429.03).

CONCLUSION

A robotic approach has favourable clinical outcomes but is more expensive.