Short‐term outcomes of robot‐assisted versus thoracoscopic‐assisted Mckeown esophagectomy

Abstract

BackgroundThoracoscopic‐assisted and robot‐assisted Mckeown esophagectomy are currently two common surgical methods, but there is no clear statement on the advantages and disadvantages of the two.MethodsThis study conducted a single‐centre retrospective analysis of esophageal cancer patients diagnosed and treated at Lanzhou University Second Hospital from 1 February 2020 to 31 July 2022. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 126 patients were finally included in the RAM group and 169 patients in the TAM group.ResultsThere was no significant difference between the RAM and TAM groups in the number of lymph node dissections, operative time, the length of stay in the intensive care unit after surgery, the incidence of hoarseness, postoperative pulmonary complications, surgery‐related complications, use of opioids after surgery, the length of postoperative hospital stay, and 30‐day mortality.ConclusionsRAM is a minimally invasive alternative to TAM and has similar short‐term oncological efficacy.