Role of Robot-Assisted Surgery in Cervical Cancer

Robot-Assisted Surgery in the Treatment of Gynecological Carcinoma and Malignancies: Introduction to the da Vinci Robotic Surgery System

Robotic surgery is a surgical intervention that was developed from traditional manual surgeries because of the intrusive procedures it uses. It is now accomplished in hospitals worldwide, and comprehensive programs for the application of technology in the management of gynecological cancer are being developed. Robotic surgery should be straightforwardly compared with manual and traditional laparoscopy to see if the higher indirect costs are justified by some improvements in patient studies. This paper aims to evaluate the procedure of robotic surgery and its implementation in gynecological cancer to verify its safeness, practicability, and effectiveness. A higher chance of infections is usually in classical surgery, particularly in comparison to laparoscopic or robotic surgery. Surgical and hospital stay are much less with any of these new technologies than the aforementioned; however, the drawbacks are the scarcity of robot systems, their high price, and the realization that it is only appropriate in learning institutions with infrastructure and highly skilled surgeons. In conclusion, tissue engineering constitutes a significant discovery and approach for treating gynecological cancer with improved methods than some other types of traditional surgery, and it will likely become dominant technology shortly.

Robotic Pelvic Exenteration for Gynecologic Malignancies, Anatomic Landmarks, and Surgical Steps: A Systematic Review

Pelvic exenteration represents the last resort procedure for patients with advanced primary or recurrent gynecological malignancy. Pelvic exenteration can be divided into different subgroup based on anatomical extension of the procedures. The growing application of the minimally invasive surgical approach unlocked new perspectives for gynecologic oncology surgery. Minimally invasive surgery may offer significant advantages in terms of perioperative outcomes. Since 2009, several Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Pelvic Exenteration experiences have been described in literature. The advent of robotic surgery resulted in a new spur to the worldwide spread of minimally invasive pelvic exenteration. We present a review of the literature on robotic-assisted pelvic exenteration. The search was conducted using electronic databases from inception of each database through June 2021. 13 articles including 53 patients were included in this review. Anterior exenteration was pursued in 42 patients (79.2%), 2 patients underwent posterior exenteration (3.8%), while 9 patients (17%) were subjected to total exenteration. The most common urinary reconstruction was non-continent urinary diversion (90.2%). Among the 11 women who underwent to total or posterior exenteration, 8 (72.7%) received a terminal colostomy. Conversion to laparotomy was required in two cases due to intraoperative vascular injury. Complications' report was available for 51 patients. Fifteen Dindo Grade 2 complications occurred in 11 patients (21.6%), and 14 grade 3 complications were registered in 13 patients (25.5%). Only grade 4 complications were reported (2%). In 88% of women, the resection margins were negative. Pelvic exenteration represents a salvage procedure in patients with recurrent or persistent gynecological cancers often after radiotherapy. A careful patient selection remains the milestone of such a mutilating surgery. The introduction of the minimally invasive approach has led to advantages in terms of perioperative outcomes compared to classic open surgery. This review shows the feasibility of robotic pelvic exenteration. An important step forward should be to investigate the potential equivalence between robotic approaches and the laparotomic one, in terms of long-term oncological outcomes.

The institutional learning curve is associated with survival outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer-a retrospective study

Background

Despite recent advances in diagnosis and treatment, cervical cancer continues to be a significant health problem worldwide. Whereas robot-assisted surgery has advantages over the abdominal approach, and minimally invasive techniques are being used increasingly, these may be associated with a higher recurrence rate and lower overall survival than the abdominal approach. The objective of this study was to compare the surgical and survival outcomes between abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) and robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH).

Methods

A retrospective cohort of patients undergoing radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer from 2006 to 2018 was identified. Patients with stage IA to IB cervical cancer were included and grouped: ARH vs. RRH. The RRH group was further divided into two groups based on the year of enrollment: RRH1 (2006–2012) and RRH2 (2013–2018). Tumor characteristics, recurrence rate, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared between the groups. P-values < 0.05 (two-sided) were considered statistically significant.

Results

A total of 310 patients were identified: 142 and 168 underwent ARH and RRH, respectively. RRH1 and RRH2 had 77 and 91 patients, respectively. Interestingly, RRH2 was more likely to have a larger tumor size (1.7 ± 1.4 vs. 2.0 ± 1.1 vs. 2.4 ± 1.7 cm, P = 0.014) and higher stage (P < 0.001) than RRH1. However, RRH2 showed significantly favorable PFS in contrast to RRH1. There was no difference between ARH and RRH2 in PFS (P = 0.629), whereas overall, the RRH group showed significantly shorter PFS than the ARH group. In the multivariate analysis, the institutional learning curve represented by the operation year was one of the significant predictors for PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.065, P = 0.0162), along with tumor size (HR 5.651, P = 0.0241).

Conclusions

The institutional learning curve, represented by the operation year, is one of the most significant factors associated with outcomes of RRH for early-stage cervical cancer.

Efficacy and safety outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy in Chinese older women with cervical cancer compared with laparoscopic radical hysterectomy

Background

Recently, as a complex integrating a number of modern high-tech means, robotic surgery system is a well-deserved revolutionary tool in globally minimally invasive surgical field. For the first time in China, the objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) in Chinese older women with cervical cancer compared with laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH).

Methods

In this prospective, randomized and double-blinded study, 60 Chinese older women with cervical cancer were evenly divided to accept the RRH or LRH. Follow-up period lasted for 24 months.

Results

Median age for the entire cohort was 65 (range: 61-69) years. There was no difference in International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages and cell types between two groups (p > 0.05 for all). Uterine size, tumor size, vaginal length and numbers of left and right pelvic lymph nodes did not differ between two groups (p > 0.05 for all). No difference was observed in numbers of left and right lymph node metastasis (p > 0.05 for all). All patients had negative margins without conversion to laparotomy. There were significantly less postoperative complications in the RRH group than in the LRH group (p < 0.05). Shorter indwelling time of bladder and drain catheters was observed in the RRH group than in the LRH group (p < 0.05 for all). Length of postoperative hospital stay in the RRH group was significantly shorter compared with that in the LRH group (p < 0.05). Patients in two groups similarly experienced the recurrence and death (p > 0.05 for all).

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that RRH provided additional benefits for Chinese older women with cervical cancer because of less complications and faster recovery compared with LRH. Meanwhile, this study supported an equivalence of surgical qualities and survival outcomes of RRH to LRH. Robotics-assisted surgical method is effective, safe and feasible for Chinese older women with cervical cancer.

Perioperative Outcomes of 3-Arm Versus 4-Arm Robotic Radical Hysterectomy in Patients with Cervical Cancer

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To investigate and compare surgical outcomes of the 3 versus 4 robotic arm approaches for robotic surgery in patients with cervical cancer.

DESIGN

A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data (Canadian Task Force classification II-2).

SETTING

An academic tertiary hospital.

PATIENTS

A total of 142 patients with stage 1A1 to IIB cervical carcinoma who underwent robotic surgery were included for analysis. The subjects were divided according to the surgical approach (i.e., the number of robotic arms), and the 2 groups were compared in terms of intraoperative data and postoperative outcomes.

INTERVENTIONS

Robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) with lymphadenectomy using 3 robotic arms (n = 101) versus 4 robotic arms (n = 41).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Perioperative surgical outcomes. The 3-arm robotic approach consisted of a camera arm, 2 robotic arms, and 1 conventional assistant port. An additional robotic arm was placed on the right side of the patient's abdomen for the 4-arm robotic approach. The mean age, body mass index, cell type, Fédération Internationale de Gynécologie et d'Obstétrique stage, and type of surgery were not significantly different between the 2 cohorts. The 3-arm approach showed favorable outcomes over the 4-arm approach in terms of postoperative pain at 6 and 24 hours (3.8 ± 1.8 vs 4.5 ± 1.7 and 2.8 ± 1.7 vs 3.4 ± 1.6, respectively; p = .033 and .049) and postoperative hemoglobin difference (1.8 ± 0.9 vs 2.6 ± 1.3 and 1.9 ± 1.1 vs 2.4 ± 0.9 on days 1 and 3, respectively; p = .002 and .004). The median length of postoperative hospital stay, total operative time, docking time, lymph node yield, and intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were comparable between the 2 cohorts.

CONCLUSION

Surgical outcomes and complications rates of RRH for cervical cancer using the 4-arm approach were comparable with that of the 3-arm approach with decreased early postoperative pain in the 3-arm group. Cost-benefit analysis and the impact on surgical training are needed in the future.

Surgical and Oncological Outcome of Robotic Surgery Compared With Laparoscopic and Abdominal Surgery in the Management of Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE

The primary aim is to evaluate the surgical and oncological outcome of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) plus pelvic lymphadenectomy in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). The secondary aim is to compare the surgical and oncological results of RRH after NACT with a historical cohort of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical hysterectomy or abdominal radical hysterectomy plus pelvic lymphadenectomy for LACC after NACT.

METHODS

We enrolled a total of 41 patients in this study with LACC undergoing RRH, who achieved a clinical partial or complete response to NACT. The surgical and oncological outcomes of 2 historical groups were compared: the laparoscopic group (41 patients) with the laparotomic group (43 patients).

RESULTS

The median estimated blood loss, operative time, and length of hospital stay were statistically significant and in favor of the robotic group. No conversion to laparotomy in the robotic group was necessary. There were no significant differences between the 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates in the minimally invasive groups; nevertheless, the robotic group showed the same recurrence rate of laparoscopic in a short-interval follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The robotic approach could be considered a feasible and safe alternative to other surgical options. Multicenter randomized clinical trials with longer follow-ups are necessary to evaluate the overall oncologic outcomes of this procedure.

Reproductive and oncologic outcome following robot-assisted laparoscopic radical trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the reproductive and oncologic outcome following robotic radical trachelectomy for early stage cervical cancer.

METHODS

All women with early stage cervical cancer planned for fertility-sparing robotic trachelectomy between December 2007 and April 2015 at two tertiary referral centers in Sweden were identified. Perioperative- and follow-up data was retrieved from prospective databases used for all robotic procedures at the respective institution and an additional review of computerized patient files was performed. Reproductive outcome evaluation was restricted to women with ≥12months follow-up and an active wish to conceive. Oncological outcome was evaluated for all patients.

RESULTS

Fifty-six women (3 stage IA1, 14 stage IA2 and 39 stage IB1) were included. The median age was 29years (range 23-41). Median follow-up was 24months (range 1-89). Seven trachelectomies were aborted in favor of a radical hysterectomy and/or chemoradiation due to nodal metastases or insufficient margins; two distant recurrences occurred in these women. A local recurrence was seen in two of the 49 women (4%) in whom the procedure was completed as planned. Seventeen of the 21 women (81%) in the reproductive follow-up group conceived - 16 naturally and one following IVF. Sixteen women (94%) delivered in the third trimester, 12 women (71%) in gestational week ≥36. One (6%) second trimester delivery occurred.

CONCLUSION

The high fertility rate, low rate of premature deliveries and an acceptable rate of recurrence support the feasibility of robotic fertility-sparing radical trachelectomy in women with early stage cervical cancer.

Surgical outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy using three robotic arms versus conventional multiport laparoscopy in patients with cervical cancer

PURPOSE

To compare surgical outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) using 3 robotic arms with those of conventional laparoscopy in patients with early cervical cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective cohort study included 102 patients with stage 1A1-IIA2 cervical carcinoma, of whom 60 underwent robotic and 42 underwent laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH) with pelvic lymph node dissection performed between December 2009 and May 2013. Perioperative outcomes were compared between two surgical groups.

RESULTS

Robotic approach consisted of 3 robotic arms including the camera arm and 1 conventional assistant port. Laparoscopic approach consisted of four trocar insertions with conventional instruments. There were no conversions to laparotomy. Mean age, body mass index, tumor size, cell type, and clinical stage were not significantly different between two cohorts. RRH showed favorable outcomes over LRH in terms of estimated blood loss (100 mL vs. 145 mL, p=0.037), early postoperative complication rates (16.7% vs. 30.9%, p=0.028), and postoperative complications necessitating intervention by Clavien-Dindo classification. Total operative time (200.5±61.1 minutes vs. 215.6±83.1 minutes, p=0.319), mean number of lymph node yield (23.3±9.3 vs. 21.7±9.8, p=0.248), and median length of postoperative hospital stay (11 days vs. 10 days, p=0.129) were comparable between robotic and laparoscopic group, respectively. The median follow-up time was 44 months with 2 recurrences in the robotic and 3 in the laparoscopic cohort.

CONCLUSION

Surgical outcomes of RRH and pelvic lymphadenectomy were comparable to that of laparoscopic approach, with significantly less blood loss and early postoperative complications.

Learning curve analysis of robot-assisted radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer: initial experience at a single institution

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the learning curve and perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic procedure for cervical cancer.

METHODS

A series of 65 cases of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical hysterectomies with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection for early stage cervical cancer were included. Demographic data and various perioperative parameters including docking time, console time, and total operative time were reviewed from the prospectively collected database. Console time was set as a surrogate marker for surgical competency, in addition to surgical outcomes. The learning curve was evaluated using cumulative summation method.

RESULTS

The mean operative time was 190 minutes (range, 117 to 350 minutes). Two unique phases of the learning curve were derived using cumulative summation analysis; phase 1 (the initial learning curve of 28 cases), and phase 2 (the improvement phase of subsequent cases in which more challenging cases were managed). Docking and console times were significantly decreased after the first 28 cases compared with the latter cases (5 minutes vs. 4 minutes for docking time, 160 minutes vs. 134 minutes for console time; p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). There was a significant reduction in blood loss during operation (225 mL vs. 100 mL, p<0.001) and early postoperative complication rates (28% vs. 8.1%, p=0.003) in phase 2. No conversion to laparotomy occurred.

CONCLUSION

Improvement of surgical performance in robot-assisted surgery for cervical cancer can be achieved after 28 cases. The two phases identified by cumulative summation analysis showed significant reduction in operative time, blood loss, and complication rates in the latter phase of learning curve.

Laparoscopically assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy versus radical abdominal hysterectomy for the treatment of early cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women and is the most frequent cause of death from gynaecological cancers worldwide. Standard surgical management for selected early-stage cervical cancer is radical hysterectomy. Traditionally, radical hysterectomy has been carried out via the abdominal route and this remains the gold standard surgical management of early cervical cancer. In recent years, advances in minimal access surgery have made it possible to perform radical hysterectomy with the use of laparoscopy with the aim of reducing the surgical morbidity and promoting a faster recovery.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the effectiveness and safety of laparoscopically assisted radical vaginal hysterectomy (LARVH) and radical abdominal hysterectomy (RAH) in women with early-stage (1 to 2A) cervical cancer.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Trials Register, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Issue 7, 2013, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to July 2013. We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared laparoscopically assisted radical hysterectomy and radical abdominal hysterectomy, in adult women diagnosed with early (stage 1 to 2A) cervical cancer.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently abstracted data and assessed risk of bias.

MAIN RESULTS

We found one RCT, which included 13 women, that met our inclusion criteria and this trial reported data on LARVH versus RAH.Women who underwent LARVH for treatment of early-stage cervical cancer appeared to have less blood loss compared with those who underwent RAH. The trial reported a borderline significant difference between the two types of surgery (median blood loss 400 mL (interquartile range (IQR): 325 to 1050) and 1000 mL (IQR: 800 to 1025) for LARVH and RAH, respectively, P value = 0.05). RAH was associated with significantly shorter operation time compared with LARVH (median: 180 minutes with LARVH versus 138 minutes with RAH, P value = 0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of perioperative complications in women who underwent LARVH and RAH. The trial reported two (29%) and four (57%) cases of intraoperative and postoperative complications, respectively, in the LARVH group and no (0%) reported cases of intraoperative complications and five (83%) cases of postoperative complications in the RAH group. There were no reported cases of severe perioperative complications.Bladder and bowel dysfunction of either a transient or chronic nature remain major morbidities after radical hysterectomy, and the one included study showed that there may be significantly less after LARVH.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The included trial lacked statistical power due to the small number of women in each group and the low number of observed events. Therefore, the absence of reliable evidence, regarding the effectiveness and safety of the two surgical techniques for the management of early-stage cervical cancer, precludes any definitive guidance or recommendations for clinical practice. The trial did not report data on long-term outcomes, but was at moderate risk of bias due to very low numbers of included women.

The "tele" factor in surgery today and tomorrow: implications for surgical training and education

New technological developments in the field of telecommunications have allowed a wide range of potentially novel surgical applications. The introduction of the World Wide Web in 1991 has been followed by a steep rise of the relevance of telemedicine, as it is witnessed in the latest scientific literature. There has been a consistent, positive trend in publications dealing, respectively, with telemedicine and the Internet. This article reviews telemedicine and other surgery-related innovations that benefit from telecommunication advances, and presents data from a quantitative bibliographic analysis. A number of applications, such as telementoring, teleproctoring and robotic telesurgery are described and their huge potentials are discussed. The integration between surgery and telecommunications could constitute one of the major achievements of modern medicine, and its safe integration into clinical practice should be a priority for modern surgeons.

Robotic surgery in gynecology: an updated systematic review

The introduction of da Vinci Robotic Surgery to the field of Gynecology has resulted in large changes in surgical management. The robotic platform allows less experienced laparoscopic surgeons to perform more complex procedures. In general gynecology and reproductive gynecology, the robot is being increasingly used for procedures such as hysterectomies, myomectomies, adnexal surgery, and tubal anastomosis. Among urogynecology the robot is being utilized for sacrocolopexies. In the field of gynecologic oncology, the robot is being increasingly used for hysterectomies and lymphadenectomies in oncologic diseases. Despite the rapid and widespread adoption of robotic surgery in gynecology, there are no randomized trials comparing its efficacy and safety to other traditional surgical approaches. Our aim is to update previously published reviews with a focus on only comparative observational studies. We determined that, with the right amount of training and skill, along with appropriate patient selection, robotic surgery can be highly advantageous. Patients will likely have less blood loss, less post-operative pain, faster recoveries, and fewer complications compared to open surgery and potentially even laparoscopy. However, until larger, well-designed observational studies or randomized control trials are completed which report long-term outcomes, we cannot definitively state the superiority of robotic surgery over other surgical methods.