title: Recent advances in robotic surgery for rectal cancer.
abstract: Robotic technology, which has recently been introduced to the field of surgery, is expected to be useful, particularly in treating rectal cancer where precise manipulation is necessary in the confined pelvic cavity. Robotic surgery overcomes the technical drawbacks inherent to laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer through the use of multi-articulated flexible tools, three-dimensional stable camera platforms, tremor filtering and motion scaling functions, and greater ergonomic and intuitive device manipulation. Assessments of the feasibility and safety of robotic surgery for rectal cancer have reported similar operation times, blood loss during surgery, rates of postoperative morbidity, and circumferential resection margin involvement when compared with laparoscopic surgery. Furthermore, rates of conversion to open surgery are reportedly lower with increased urinary and male sexual functions in the early postoperative period compared with laparoscopic surgery, demonstrating the technical advantages of robotic surgery for rectal cancer. However, long-term outcomes and the cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery for rectal cancer have not been fully evaluated yet; therefore, large-scale clinical studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of this new technology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Tokyo Hospital, 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Hongo, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
authors.forename: Soichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Kensuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Tomomichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kiyomatsu
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.forename: Kazushige
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nozawa
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kazama
authors.forename: Hironori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sunami
authors.forename: Joji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kitayama
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D061887:Conversion to Open Surgery; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D059032:Learning Curve; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods