Recently, Surgical Endoscopy published the results of a prospective, multicenter, non-inferiority randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted by the Department of General Surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital and other teams. The study compared the performance of a domestically produced surgical robot with the da Vinci Surgical System Xi in robotic-assisted radical resection of rectal cancer. The research demonstrated that the safety and efficacy of the domestic surgical robot in rectal cancer radical resection are comparable to those of the da Vinci Surgical System Xi.
It's reported that this study benchmarked internationally recognized advanced robotic surgical equipment. Through rigorous research design, strict patient selection, and standardized research implementation, the study provided high-level evidence of non-inferiority in clinical efficacy of domestically produced surgical robots compared to international standards. This evidence supports the international acceptance and further promotion of domestically produced surgical robots.
Colorectal cancer, a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, is primarily treated through surgical resection. With the continuous advancement of precision surgery and medical device innovation, colorectal cancer surgery has evolved from open surgery to laparoscopic surgery and now to robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery. Robotic surgery, due to its excellent visualization and flexible mechanical arm operation, has gained widespread attention and application in the surgical treatment of colorectal cancer. Additionally, research reports indicate better oncological outcomes and postoperative recovery with robotic surgery compared to traditional laparoscopic surgery.
Previously, the safety and effectiveness of domestically produced surgical robots in urological surgery had been validated. However, this study marks the first application of domestically produced surgical robots in patients with colorectal cancer. The study, jointly initiated by Peking Union Medical College Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, and the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, randomly assigned patients in a 1:1 ratio to use either the domestically produced surgical robot or the da Vinci Surgical System Xi. Professors Xiao Yi, Wang Guiyu, and Wei Zhengqiang, experts in the field of colorectal surgery at the three hospitals, completed robotic surgeries on 100 patients with colorectal cancer from July 2022 to May 2023.
The study compared various surgical indicators between the two surgical systems, including conversion rate, docking time, intraoperative robotic operating time, intraoperative blood loss, as well as postoperative parameters such as time to first flatus and postoperative complication rates. The results showed no statistically significant differences between the two systems in terms of docking time, intraoperative robotic operating time, blood loss, time to first flatus, postoperative complication rates, or pathological results regarding the number of lymph nodes retrieved and margin status.
To further scientifically evaluate the safety and effectiveness of domestically produced surgical robots compared to the da Vinci Surgical System Xi for robot-assisted radical resection of colorectal cancer, the research team will continue to follow up with patients to assess the long-term therapeutic effects of the surgery.
For more information, refer to the related paper: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-024-10682-5
