The effect of Da Vinci robot vs laparoscopic anterior resection for rectal cancer on anorectal and urogenital function / 中华普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare the postoperative anorectal and urogenital function in patients undergoing Da Vinci robot vs laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (TME) for middle and low rectal cancer.Methods:A prospective controlled study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 120 patients with middle and low rectal cancer receiving low anterior resection (Dixon procedure) at the Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital from Jun 2020 to Oct 2022, including 65 patients in the laparoscopic surgery group and 55 patients in the robotic surgery group.All patients underwent colonoscopy and pelvic MRI, and the distance of the tumor from the anal margin was less than 10 cm.The clinical data of the patients were collected and followed up by questionnaire at 12 months after operation. The anal defecation function was assessed by Wexner constipation score and low anterior resection syndrome scale (LARS).The urinary function was measured by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and International Advisory Committee on Urinary Incontinence Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Scale (ICIQ-MLUTS/ ICIQ-FluTS).Reproductive function was valued by International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5 score) was used for male function and the sexual function index (FIFS-19) for females.Results:The postoperative anal defecation function in robotic group was better than that of the laparoscopic group, and the LARS score was (4.3±2.2) vs. (9.8±1.5), t=9.151, P=0.038.There was no serious urinary dysfunction in neither groups. The robot group had a certain advantage in the protection of male urinary function [ICIQ-MLUTS, (1.8±5.8) vs. (13.8±4.9), t=4.128, P=0.038], while there was no significant difference in the female urinary function between the two groups .ICIQ-FLUTS [(-0.3±1.0) vs. (-0.2±0.9), t=0.015, P=0.844].There was no significant difference in reproductive function between the two groups, IIEF-5 score [(-13.4±2.7) vs. (-11.7±3.4), t=0.35, P=0.615]. FIFS-19 [(-5.2±4.6) vs. (-10.5±6.4), t=4.128, P=0.254]. Conclusions:Compared with laparoscopic surgery, robotic surgery has a better possibility of anal defecation after middle-low rectal cancer surgery. The robotic group has certain advantages in male urinary function protection, and the two surgical methods have similar effects on reproductive function protection.