Robotic retroauricular thyroidectomy with additional axillary port: Early personal experiences

Robotic nipple sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction: significant attempts with the latissimus dorsi muscle without island flap

BACKGROUND

This study presents preliminary results of robot-assisted nipple-sparing immediate breast reconstruction (R-NSMIBR) with gel implant combined with latissimus dorsi muscle flap without island flap and validation of the safety and utility of this novel surgical modality.

METHODS

Records pertinent to R-NSMIBR with gel implants combined with latissimus dorsi muscle flap surgery for breast reconstruction between September 2022 and May 2023 were examined. A total of 13 patients who underwent R-NSMIBR were analyzed, nine of which were performed without skin island.

RESULTS

We divided the patients with and without skin islands into two groups and recorded the operation time and bleeding respectively. The mean total operative time for R-NSMIBR was 436.5±56.88 minutes and 355.75±69.68 minutes. As experience in learning increased, time required to create the operating space and position the robotic arm decreased significantly. Not creating an island of skin also saves a great deal of surgical time. Average total blood loss was 37.5±6.45 mL and 26.25±7.5 mL. No cases of nipple-areolar complex necrosis or perioperative complications or no local recurrences were reported. There were no local recurrences or deaths that occurred during a mean follow-up period of 3±1 months.

CONCLUSIONS

All the patients expressed satisfaction with the aesthetic outcome following surgery. There were no significant differences between two groups. This surgical method shows promise for future promotion in the field.

Robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with gel implant and latissimus dorsi muscle flap: Our initial experience

BACKGROUND

This study reports the preliminary results of da Vinci robot XI robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy immediate breast reconstruction (R-NSMIBR) with gel implant and latissimus dorsi muscle flap.

METHODS

A total of 15 patients who underwent R-NSMIBR with gel implant and latissimus dorsi muscle flap surgery for breast cancer between September 2022 and November 2022 were evaluated.

RESULTS

Mean total operative time for R-NSMIBR was 361.9 ± 77.0 min. As the learning curve increased, the robot arm docking time decreased rapidly from the initial 25-10 min. Average total blood loss was 27.8 ± 10.7 mL and posterior surgical margin positivity rate was 0%. Perioperative complications and local recurrences or deaths were not observed at a mean follow-up of 3 ± 1 month 15 patients were satisfied with postoperative aesthetic results.

CONCLUSIONS

R-NSMIBR with a gel implant and latissimus dorsi muscle flap could be a new therapeutic option for breast reconstruction.

Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive Breast Surgery: Recent Evidence with Comparative Clinical Outcomes

In recent times, robot-assisted surgery has been prominently gaining pace to minimize overall postsurgical complications with minimal traumatization, due to technical advancements in telerobotics and ergonomics. The aim of this review is to explore the efficiency of robot-assisted systems for executing breast surgeries, including microsurgeries, direct-to-implant breast reconstruction, deep inferior epigastric perforators-based surgery, latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction, and nipple-sparing mastectomy. Robot-assisted surgery systems are efficient due to 3D-based visualization, dexterity, and range of motion while executing breast surgery. The review describes the comparative efficiency of robot-assisted surgery in relation to conventional or open surgery, in terms of clinical outcomes, morbidity rates, and overall postsurgical complication rates. Potential cost-effective barriers and technical skills were also delineated as the major limitations associated with these systems in the clinical sector. Furthermore, instrument articulation of robot-assisted surgical systems (for example, da Vinci systems) can enable high accuracy and precision surgery due to its promising ability to mitigate tremors at the time of surgery, and shortened learning curve, making it more beneficial than other open surgery procedures.