Are Previous Experience with Laparoscopy and the Inclusion in a Group of Surgeons with Prior Robotic Experience Required to Perform Robotic Rectal Cancer Surgery?

Rosa M Jiménez-Rodríguez, Verónica Pino-Díaz, José Manuel Díaz Pavón, Juan Manuel Praena Fernandez, Javier Padillo and Fernando de la Portilla

Department of General and Digestive Surgery, Colorectal Surgery Unit, University of Seville, Spain
Department of Statistical analysis, “Virgen del Rocío” University, Spain
Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III,
Spain

^*Correspondance to: Rosa M Jimenez-Rodriguez 

 PDF  Full Text DOI: 10.25107/2474-1647.2191

Abstract

Introduction: Robotic rectal surgery could decrease the learning curve but the necessity of previous experience with laparoscopy or the importance of being part of a group of surgeons with previous robotic experience have not been analyzed yet.Material: A total of 81 patients with rectal cancer were included in the study. Patients were divided into 3 groups of 27 patients each that were assigned to three surgeons. One had previous laparoscopic experience, but was included in a group without prior robotic experience. Another surgeon also had previous experience with laparoscopy and was included in a group with prior robotic experience. The third surgeon had no prior experience with laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery, but he was included in a group with robotic experience.Results: Conversion and intra-operative complication rates were lower in patients treated by the two surgeons who were included in a group with prior robotic experience. The CUSUMOT curve also showed that operative time decreased earlier in these two surgeons, the incidence of postoperative re-interventions was higher among these two groups.
Conclusion: No previous experience with laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer is required to begin robotic surgery if it is performed by a group of surgeons with prior robotic experience.

Keywords

Learning curve; Rectal cancer; Robotics

Cite the article

Jim�nez-Rodr�guez RM, Pino-D�az V, D�az Pav�n JM, Praena Fernandez JM, Padillo J, de la Portilla F. Are Previous Experience with Laparoscopy and the Inclusion in a Group of Surgeons with Prior Robotic Experience Required to Perform Robotic Rectal Cancer Surgery? Clin Surg. 2018; 3: 2191.