[Robot-Assisted Repeated Fundoplication in Children and Adolescents]. / Roboterassistierte Refundoplicatio bei Kindern und Jugendlichen.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in adolescents and young adults who underwent fundoplication in childhood present a technical challenge for the surgeon. The distal oesophagus and hiatus are difficult to access by laparotomy, the anatomy is modified by the primary procedure, and there are often dense adhesions between important structures. Robot-assisted surgery may be advantageous, because of the three dimensional (3D) view and the multiaxial freedom of movement afforded by the system. PURPOSE: To describe our experience with robot-assisted Nissen re-fundoplication in adolescents who underwent primary fundoplication in childhood. METHODS: The video shows the individual steps in robotic repeated fundoplication using the robotic system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Three patients were operated with fundoplication at the age of 15 ± 2 years due to gastroesophageal reflux disease. After an average of 11,8 years after the primary procedure, they showed pathological reflux symptoms, which indicated repeated Nissen fundoplication. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The 3D vision of the robotic system provided the surgeon with a good overview of the operative field. In addition, it allowed accurate dissection of the predictable adhesions around the hiatus. Mean operating time from incision to closure in the robot-assisted re-fundoplication was 174 min. Neither intra- nor postoperative complications occurred. As in conventional laparoscopic technique, there is a learning curve for the robotic surgery that can be appreciated from our data. Shorter dissection times and simplified dissection are potential benefits that need to be balanced with the higher cost of the robotic technique. CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted re-fundoplication is an excellent alternative to the conventional laparoscopic procedure in young adults with recurrent gastroesophageal symptoms, who had a fundoplication in early childhood. The 3D-vision and the multi-axial free mobility of the instruments facilitate precise dissection that consider anatomic structures and adhesions.