Short learning curve in transition from laparoscopic to robotic-assisted rectal cancer surgery: a prospective study from a Finnish Tertiary Referral Centre.

The narrow pelvis causes special challenges in surgery, and robotic-assisted surgery has been proven beneficial in these circumstances. While robotic surgery has some specific advantages in rectal cancer surgery, there is still limited evidence of the learning curve of the technique involved. The aim here was to study the transition from laparoscopic to robotic-assisted surgery among experienced laparoscopic surgeons. The data for this study were collected from a prospectively compiled register that includes patients operated on by the Da Vinci Xi robot in Tampere University Hospital. Each consecutive rectal cancer patient was included. The information on the surgical and oncological outcomes was analysed. The learning curve was assessed using cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis. CUSUM already demonstrated an overall positively sloped curve at the beginning of the study, with neither the conversion rate nor morbidity reaching unacceptable thresholds. Conversions (4%) and postoperative complications (Clavien-Dindo III-IV 15%, no intraoperative complications) were rare. One patient died within one month and the death was not procedure-associated. While surgical and oncological outcomes were similar among all surgeons, the console times showed a decreasing trend and were shorter among those with more experience in laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery. Robotic-assisted rectal cancer surgery can be safely adapted by experienced laparoscopic colorectal surgeons.

Surgery for colorectal cancer in a low-volume unit: assessment of key issues in the achievement of acceptable clinical results.

BACKGROUND: The maintenance of modern therapeutic principles requires a proper case load to achieve acceptable surgical results. This may obligate administrative reorganization to overcome these problems and to provide an adequate level of cancer surgery. AIM: To assess the surgical results of patients coming for surgery for colorectal cancer in a low-volume non-academic unit during the past 15 yr. METHODS: 458 consecutive patients referred for surgery between 1988 and 2001 in Kanta-Häme Central Hospital in Finland were analyzed regarding their disease, mode of surgery, and the immediate and long-term result. The data were collected from patient journals and from the National Centre of Statistics and analyzed in two successive periods. RESULTS: The number of patients with a localized disease (Dukes A + Dukes B) decreased during the followup from 49% to 45%. A curative procedure was achieved in 68% in the first half and in 73% in the second half of the observation period. The immediate mortality was 5% and 2% in the two periods, respectively. The corrected 5-year survival according to the Dukes Classification was 92% (A), 69% (B), 41% (C ), and 6% (D). In curative surgery for rectal cancer, the incidences of local recurrence decreased from 21% to 9% (NS) and the use of permanent colostomy from 59 to 42% (NS). CONCLUSIONS: Acceptable immediate and long-term results in curative surgery for colorectal cancer can be achieved in a low-volume surgical unit. Nevertheless, owing to the low volume, the improvement of the results obligates team-based institutional specialization and careful consideration about the extensiveness of the primary procedure in case of cancer obstruction.

Long-term results after surgery for gastric cancer with or without jejunal reservoir: results of surgery for gastric cancer in Kanta-Häme central hospital in two consecutive periods without or with jejunal pouch reconstruction in 1985-1998.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer still has a disease-specific 5-yr survival less than 30% and an overall survival of about 15%. The quality of life of patients who undergo gastrectomy is poor owing both to the severity of the disease itself and to the mutilation of the upper gastrointestinal channel after the reconstruction. Therefore, the combination of a jejunal pouch with gastrectomy has been claimed to improve the life quality and nutritional status of these patients. AIM: To assess the clinical results after surgery for gastric cancer in two consecutive periods with or without jejunal-pouch reconstruction. METHODS: 271 consecutive patients referred for surgery for gastric cancer in 1985-1991 (116 patients) and in 1992-1998 (155 patients) in Kanta-Häme central hospital were retrospectively analyzed regarding their disease, mode of surgery, and the immediate and long-term results. In the former observation period gastrectomy was performed with Roux-en-Y esophagojejunostomy without a reservoir, and in the latter period this procedure was combined with a jejunal reservoir. The data were collected from patient journals and from the death certificate obtained from the National Centre of Statistics in Finland. RESULTS: During the study period the incidence of cancer in the cardia increased among the surgical patients from 13.1 to 26.7% (p <0.05). Despite this proximal migration, the cancer-specific 5-yr survival remained practically unchanged during the two study periods, 29.4% and 32.2% (NS). During the period of jejunal-pouch reconstruction there were non-significant increases of the incidences of local recurrence (from 18.9% to 26.5%), of immediate postoperative anastomotic fistulae (from 0.9% to 4.5%) as well as of the immediate mortality (from 2.6% to 3.7%) (NS for each). CONCLUSIONS: Despite proximal migration of gastric cancer and the application of a jejunal reservoir, the long-term as well as the immediate results after curative surgery (i.e., D2-gastrectomy) for gastric cancer have remained relatively unchanged. The jejunal-pouch reconstruction with the present technique after gastrectomy can therefore be safely applied.