Published in:
Open Access 01-07-2020 | Rectal Cancer | Dynamic Manuscript
Da Vinci Single-Port robot-assisted transanal mesorectal excision: a promising preclinical experience
Published in: Surgical Endoscopy | Issue 7/2020
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Introduction
Robotic single-port platforms represent a viable option for advanced surgical procedures. This preclinical study investigated the dual-field, single-port, robot-assisted transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME).
Technique
In a male human cadaver, we employed the novel da Vinci® SP™ Surgical System, sequentially, to realize the transanal and abdominal parts of the taTME procedure. We evaluated the feasibility of the one-team approach.
Results
We showed that single-port access for the taTME was technically feasible with the current da Vinci® SP™ Surgical System in both surgical fields. The total console times were 189 min for the juxta-anal purse-string suture placement, partial intersphincteric resection, and bottom-up mesorectal dissection to where it meets the peritoneal reflection and 43 min for the abdominal procedure. A good quality specimen was achieved. The surgeon comfort was high during simulated surgery. The task load was highly acceptable (NASA-TLX global score: 35), even though it was the surgeon’s first use of this platform.
Conclusion
This preclinical study demonstrated that the robotic, single-port taTME was feasible and could be performed with the da Vinci® SP™ Surgical System, beginning at the level of the dentate line. Further simulations are necessary to confirm this promising approach.