Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery for Rectal Cancer—Comparative Study Between Two Centres

We compared short-term and long-term surgical and oncological outcomes of robotic surgery versus hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancers patients. Study was conducted at the National Cancer Institute and Yonsei Cancer Centre from August 2006 to December 2012. We prospectively reviewed all patients who underwent RS and HALS for upper and middle third rectal cancers. Patients’ demographics, postoperative short-term and long-term outcomes were assessed. Baseline patients’ characteristics were similar in both groups. Average operative time was 321.3 ± 70 min for robotic surgery versus 106.0 ± 37 min for hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery, P < 0.001). Higher number of patients (n = 74, 94.9%) with tumour in the upper rectum was found in hand-assisted laparoscopic group (P < 0.01). Perioperative complications were more common in the robotic surgery group (9 vs. 5 patients). In all stages, 3-year overall survival was 86.9% in the hand-assisted laparoscopic group vs. 89.6% in the robotic group: 80.0% vs. 79.2 for stage I and 82.4% vs. 88.9 for stage II and III. The 3-year DFS was 83.6% in hand-assisted laparoscopic group vs. 83.2%—robotic surgery group considering all stages. Anastomotic leakage, bleeding, number of postoperative complications, overall survival and disease-free survival were similar and not much different between robotic and hand-assisted laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery.