Hybrid Robotic and Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: Comparison with Conventional Laparoscopic Gastrectomy

• Published in: Journal of gastric cancer Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 308 - 318
• Main Authors: Kim, So Jung, Jeon, Chul Hyo, Jung, Yoon Ju, Seo, Ho Seok, Lee, Han Hong, Song, Kyo Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Gastric Cancer Association 01.09.2021; 대한위암학회
• Subjects: Original; 일반외과학; Laparoscopy; Gastrectomy; Lymphocytes; Postoperative complications; Robotics; Neutrophils
• ISSN: 2093-582X; 2093-5641
• DOI: 10.5230/jgc.2021.21.e30

The benefits of robotic gastrectomy remain controversial. We designed this study to elucidate the advantages of a hybrid robot and laparoscopic gastrectomy over conventional laparoscopic surgery. A total of 176 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer were included in this study. We compared 88 patients treated with hybrid robotic and laparoscopic gastrectomy (HRLG) and 88 patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic gastrectomy (CLG). In HRLG, suprapancreatic lymph node (LN) dissection was performed in a robotic setting. Clinicopathological characteristics, operative details, and short-term outcomes were analyzed for the patients. The number of LNs retrieved from the suprapancreatic area was significantly greater in the HRLG group (11.27±5.46 vs. 9.17±5.19, P=0.010). C-reactive protein levels were greater in the CLG group on both postoperative day (POD) 1 (5.11±2.64 vs. 4.29±2.38, P=0.030) and POD 5 (9.86±6.51 vs. 7.75±5.17, P=0.019). In addition, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio was significantly greater in the CLG group on both POD 1 (7.44±4.72 vs. 6.16±2.91, P=0.031) and POD 5 (4.87±3.75 vs. 3.81±1.87, P=0.020). Pulmonary complications occurred only in the CLG group (4/88 [4.5%] vs. 0/88 [0%], P=0.043). HRLG is superior to CLG in terms of suprapancreatic LN dissection and postoperative inflammatory response.