title: Robot-assisted surgery for gastric cancer: experience at our institute.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The robot-assisted surgical system was developed for minimally invasive surgery and is thought to have the potential to overcome the shortcomings of laparoscopic surgery. We introduced this system for the treatment of gastric cancer in 2008. Here we report our initial experiences of robot-assisted surgery using the da Vinci system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of robot-assisted gastrectomy for gastric cancer patients was performed in our institute. The clinicopathological features and surgical outcomes were analyzed. Whereas the procedures of the gastrectomy were similar to those of the usual laparoscopic surgery, several aspects such as the port placement and the role of the assistant were modified from those for conventional laparoscopic surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 2008 to December 2010, 61 patients with gastric cancer underwent robot-assisted surgery. Gastrectomy was distal in 46 patients, total in 14, proximal in 1 and no operation was converted to the open procedure. D2 lymph node dissection was performed on 28 patients in the distal gastrectomy group and on 11 in the total gastrectomy group. Complications occurred in 2 cases (4%): these consisted of ruptured sutures and hemorrhage from the anastomotic site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that robot-assisted gastrectomy using the da Vinci system can be applied safely and effectively for patients with gastric cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Fujita Health University School of Medicine, Toyoake, Japan.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Isogaki
authors: Shusuke
authors: S
authors: Haruta
authors: Mariko
authors: M
authors: Man-I
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Suda
authors: Yuichiro
authors: Y
authors: Kawamura
authors: Fumihiro
authors: F
authors: Yoshimura
authors: Toshiki
authors: T
authors: Kawabata
authors: Kazuki
authors: K
authors: Inaba
authors: Ken
authors: K
authors: Ishikawa
authors: Yoshinori
authors: Y
authors: Ishida
authors: Keizo
authors: K
authors: Taniguchi
authors: Seiji
authors: S
authors: Sato
authors: Seiichiro
authors: S
authors: Kanaya
authors: Ichiro
authors: I
authors: Uyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D016896:Treatment Outcome