The study, led by Emile Farah, M.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, compared robotic and laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC) among 53,209 patients from 2015 to 2020. The findings revealed that robotic surgery significantly improved textbook outcomes for right colectomy (RC) and left colectomy (LC) compared to conventional laparoscopy, but not for low anterior resection (LAR).
Key points from the study include:
- Robotic surgery was associated with a higher rate of textbook outcomes in RC (71% vs. 64%) and LC (75% vs. 68%) compared to laparoscopy.
- Major morbidity was higher in robotic LAR surgeries (7.1% vs. 5.8%).
- The conversion rate to open surgery was lower in robotic procedures for all three types of surgeries (4.3% vs. 9.2%), and the mean operative time was longer for robotic surgeries (225 vs. 177 minutes).
The article highlights the advantages of robotic surgery for colectomies, such as better 3D visualization, stable camera, improved dexterity and instrument control, and reduced surgeon fatigue and hand tremor. Patricio M. Polanco, M.D., another researcher from UTSW, emphasized the lack of real-world evidence before this study demonstrating the efficacy of robotic surgery compared to laparoscopic techniques.