BACKGROUND: Robotic surgery had widespread in the last years. There are few reports for advanced pancreatic robotic surgery. The indication of robotic surgery for pancreatic diseases has created controversy. The purpose of this review is to analyze the indications and outcomes of robotic surgery for complex pancreatic diseases trying to give an answer to the created controversy.
METHODS: A retrospective review of the charts of all the patients that underwent robotic surgery in two different teaching institutions by a single surgeon for pancreatic diseases was performed.
RESULTS: From May 2001 to September 2008 134 patients underwent robotic assisted surgery for different pancreatic pathologies. All the procedures were performed with the robotic system with the fourth arm.
Seventy nine patients were female, average age was 58 (Range 25-86).. Average OR time was 325 min (120-660). There were 14 conversions to open surgery. Average length of stay was 9.3 days (3 to 103). Post operative morbidity rate was 26%, mortality rate was 2.9% (4 patients).
Among the procedures performed were 50 duodenopancreatectomies, 18 spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy, 32 splenopancreatectomies, 1 total pancretectomy and 33 patients underwent different surgical procedures for the treatment of acute and chronic pancreatitis.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest series of robotic pancreatic surgery presented to date. Robotic surgery allows performing difficult technical gestures that facilitate the success of pancreatic minimally invasive surgery .Preliminary results showed that pancreatic robotic surgery is feasible, safe and with a complication and mortality rates comparable to open surgery while maintaining the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.
Session: Podium Presentation
Program Number: S054