title: Robotic surgical staging for endometrial and cervical cancers in medically ill patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Patients with high anesthesiological risk due to old age, obesity and severe co-morbidities alone or in combination are considered as poor candidates for extensive surgical staging procedures, especially if through minimally invasive approach. We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of robotic surgical staging of endometrial and cervical cancers in the medically ill patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 07-2007 and 12-2012, consecutive patients scheduled for staging for endometrial or cervical cancer were directed towards robotic staging and divided into two groups according to their starting score in the American Society for Anaesthesiologists (ASA): Group 1 (ASA 1-2) and Group 2 (ASA ≥3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 169 (71.9%) patients had ASA 1-2 whereas 66 (28.1%) had ASA ≥3. ASA ≥3 were older (p<0.0001) with a greater proportion of co-morbidities (p<0.0001), as well as of Class II (4.7% vs 19.7%; p=0.0007) and Class III obesity (2.4% vs 31.8%; p<0.0001). No differences were found between groups in terms of operative time, blood loss, intra- and post-operative complications, conversion rate and hospitalization. No differences were recorded either in terms of staging procedures performed or in terms of number of pelvic (p=0.72) and para-aortic (p=0.86) lymph nodes retrieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite theoretical concerns about the performance of robotic surgery in patients with high anesthesiological risk, our experience showed that robotics is a feasible, safe and viable option for the management of endometrial and cervical cancers also in this more vulnerable group of patients.
authors: Department of Gynecology, IRCCS, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy. gabriele.siesto@gmail.com
authors: Gabriele
authors: G
authors: Siesto
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Ornaghi
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Iedà
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Vitobello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015897:Comorbidity; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D012371:Robotics / Q000379:methods*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*