No abstract

Background: Several studies have shown the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted antireflux surgery but comparative data are lacking.Methods: Fifty consecutive patients scheduled for laparoscopic antireflux surgery were randomized into two groups. Twenty-five patients underwent robot-assisted surgery and 25 standard laparoscopic fundoplication. All robot-assisted procedures were performed with the da Vinci Surgical System  .Results: There were no significant differences in age, sex, body mass or preoperative reflux pattern between the groups. Operating times were significantly longer for robot-assisted than standard laparoscopic operations (mean total operating time 131·3 versus 91·1 min, P < 0·001; skin-to-skin time 78·0 versus 63·5 min, P = 0·001). There was no conversion to open surgery. Conversion to standard laparoscopy was necessary in one of 25 robot-assisted procedures. The length of hospital stay was similar in both groups. Robot-assisted surgery was associated with significantly higher mean total costs (¤3157 versus ¤1527; P < 0·001). There were no significant differences in clinical, endoscopic and functional outcomes between groups. There was no procedure-related mortality.Conclusion: Robot-assisted laparoscopic fundoplication is comparable to the standard laparoscopic procedure in terms of feasibility and outcome, but costs are higher owing to longer operating times and the use of more expensive instruments.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is superior to robot-assisted adrenalectomy in terms of feasibility, morbidity, and cost.

LSG improves symptoms and controls reflux in most morbidly obese patients with preoperative GERD. In obese patients without preoperative evidence of GERD, the occurrence of "de novo" reflux is uncommon. Therefore, LSG should be considered an effective option for the surgical treatment of obese patients with GERD.

Although both techniques achieved long-term GER control, the recurrence rate of dysphagia was significantly higher among the patients who underwent Nissen fundoplication. This evidence supports the use of Dor fundoplication as the preferred method to re-establish GER control in patients undergoing laparoscopic Heller myotomy.

TEM had no long-term effect on anorectal function or QoL. Lower anal resting pressure at early follow-up was not associated with defaecation problems in patients who were continent before surgery.

True short esophagus is present in about 20% of patients undergoing routine antireflux surgery. Radiology, severity, and duration of symptoms are predictors of true foreshortening.

Background Traditional laparoscopic surgery presents some difficulties for morbidly obese patients due to limited motion of instruments related to a thick abdominal wall, intraabdominal fat, and a large hepatic left lobe, with consequent loss of dexterity and greater musculoskeletal discomfort. Robotic technique could potentially overcome these limitations. This study aimed to evaluate robot-assisted laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in morbidly obese patients and to compare the results of robotic assistance with those of traditional laparoscopic technique. Methods Between September 2006 and June 2009, 110 morbidly obese patients underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass with robot-assisted hand-sewn gastrojejunal anastomosis using the da Vinci Surgical System. The data for these patients was compared with the data for 423 consecutive patients treated in a standard laparoscopic manner during the same period. Results The patients had a mean preoperative age of 42.6 years, a mean weight of 127.5 kg, and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 46.7 kg/m 2 . The total mean operative time was 247.5 min. The robotic setup time was 10.1 min, and the robotic operative time was 54.5 min. The conversion rate was nil. The intraoperative complication rate was 4.5%. The early and late major postoperative complication rates were 3.6 and 6.4% respectively. The cost per patient was 5777.76 €. For the standard laparoscopy, the operative time was significantly shorter (187 min; p < 0.001), and the costs per patient were significantly lower (4658.28 €; p < 0.001), whereas no differences were found in terms of the intra-or postoperative complication rates, revisional surgery, or hospital length of stay. Conclusions Although safe and intuitive, the robotic approach was burdened by a longer operative time and higher equipment costs. Moreover, it did not seem to provide a real advantage over standard laparoscopy in terms of hospital length of stay and complications rates. Keywords Bariatric surgery Gastrojejunal anastomosis Morbid obesity Robot-assisted gastric bypass Robotic surgery Roux-en-Y gastric bypass To date, bariatric surgery is the only long-term effective therapy available for the morbidly obese population [1][2][3]. Over recent decades, laparoscopic surgical techniques have become the gold standard in bariatric surgery due to advantages such as less postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, faster postoperative recovery, and minimal scarring [4][5][6]. Moreover, for the obese patient, the mini-invasive approach has demonstrated its ability to reduce postoperative mortality [7,8]. However, the inherent limitations of traditional laparoscopic surgery may cause some technical difficulties due to the limited freedom of motion for the instruments related to the thick abdominal wall and hepatomegaly, with consequent loss of dexterity and greater musculoskeletal discomfort for the surgeon [9].