Early experience with totally robotic esophagectomy for malignancy. Surgical and oncological outcomes

Abstract

Background: Over recent decades, minimally invasive esophagectomy has gained popularity and is increasingly performed worldwide. The aim of this work was to investigate the perioperative, clinicopathologic, and oncological outcomes of robot-assisted esophagectomy on a consecutive series of totally robotic procedures.

Methods: All patients received either an Ivor Lewis or a McKeown procedure according to tumor location. Perioperative, clinicopathologic and oncological outcomes were examined.

Results: A total of 38 patients underwent robot-assisted esophagectomy procedures. All underwent surgery for primary esophageal neoplasms. Neoadjuvant therapy was given to 22 patients. R0 resections were achieved in all patients and no conversion to open surgery occurred. Overall morbidity and mortality were 42% and 10%, respectively. The 1 year disease free survival was 78.9%, whereas the 1 year overall survival was 84.2%.

Conclusions: Robotic surgery can be employed to treat esophageal malignancy competently. Robotic esophagectomy satisfies all features of pathologic appropriateness and offers the expected oncological results.

Keywords: Ivor Lewis esophagectomy; esophageal cancer; minimally invasive esophagectomy; robotic esophagectomy.