Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery in gynaecological oncology; initial experience at Oslo Radium Hospital and 16 months follow-up.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to report our initial experience using the Da Vinci, a three-armed Intuitive Surgical robotic unit, in relation to gynae-oncological operations.


METHODS
A prospective database was used in this retrospective analysis of 53 consecutive women with gynae-oncological diseases who were operated by the same surgeon in a single institution. All the patients were informed of the risks inherent with each surgical procedure as well as the potential advantages.


RESULTS
125 different procedures were performed, including total robotic radical hysterectomy (n = 25), restaging with total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, total omentectomy, appendectomy, bilateral pelvic and para-aortic node dissections. Mean age of the patients, 45.8 (range 27-70) years; mean operative time, 219 (range 110-530) min; mean console time, 170 (range 60-445) min; mean estimated blood loss, 57 (range 10-300) ml; mean post-operative stay, 3 (range 1-6) days. No robot-related complications occurred. No conversions were reported. Mean follow-up time was 16 (range 0-28) months.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary experience with robotic surgery suggest that it is a safe technique and could allow complex radical operations to be performed with greater precision.
Sert
M Bilal
MB
Department of Gynaecological Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, University of Oslo, Montebello, Oslo, Norway. bsert@online.no
Eraker
Runar
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020706:Laparoscopes; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult