title: Robot-sewn Ivor-Lewis anastomosis: preliminary experience and technical details.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy with intra-thoracic anastomosis showed encouraging results but there is a lack of data to demonstrate the safety and feasibility.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to report our experience in RA-ILE (robotic-assisted Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy) with robotic hand-sewn anastomosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study of patients who underwent robotic-assisted esophagectomy in prone position with intrathoracic anastomosis for malignant neoplasm of the esophagus or esophago-gastric junction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From January 2012 to December 2014 we performed eight completely robot-assisted esophagectomy without intra-operative complication. The mortality rate at 30-day was zero. In two patients we observed a partial leakage of the gastric tube that required revision. The mean operative time was 499 ± 46 min including robotic set up and patient positioning. The median hospital-stay was 10 days. Complete (R0) resection was accomplished in all patients and the mean number of lymph nodes removed was 37.6 ± 14 .7.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary experience suggests that robotic-assisted RA-ILE for malignant lesions is a real surgical option compared with conventional surgery with satisfactory results. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bongiolatti
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncological and Robotic General Surgery, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Annecchiarico
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncological and Robotic General Surgery, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Marino
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncological and Robotic General Surgery, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boffi
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borgianni
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonfiotti
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Surgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Voltolini
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncological and Robotic General Surgery, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coratti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*
keywords: esophageal cancer; robot-assisted esophagectomy; robot-sewn Ivor-Lewis anastomosis