Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Staging Surgery for Endometrial Cancer—A Preliminary Report

SummaryObjectiveThe robotic surgical system is reported to overcome some technical difficulties in traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and surgical outcomes of a robotic surgery program for endometrial cancer.Materials and MethodsPatients with endometrial cancer with the intention to receive treatment using robotassisted laparoscopic staging surgery were recruited in a university hospital from July 2007 to August 2008. All of these surgeries were performed with the da Vinci system.ResultsSix patients (mean age, 47.5 ±1.4 years; mean body mass index, 26.2 ±3.5 kg/m2) were enrolled and completed robot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery. The robot docking time was 45.0 ±13.6 minutes and the robot-assisted operation time was 200.3 ±30.0 minutes. The mean estimated blood loss was 180.0 ±147.6 mL. The mean number of lymph nodes retrieved was 23.2 ±7.4. No laparoconversion and no intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. All patients were alive and free of disease up to the date of this report, at a median follow-up of 6.5 months (range, 5-17 months).ConclusionRobot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery is a feasible treatment and helps overcome the technical limitations in conventional laparoscopy for endometrial cancer.