Robotic liver resection in the posterosuperior segments as a way to extent the mini-invasive arsenal: a comparison with transthoracic laparoscopic approach.

BACKGROUND: The field of robotic liver resection (RLR) has developed in the past decades. This technique seems to improve the access to the posterosuperior (PS) segments. Evidence of a possible advantage over transthoracic laparoscopy (TTL) is not yet available. We aimed to compare RLR to TTL for tumors located in the PS segments of the liver in terms of feasibility, difficulty scoring, and outcome. METHODS: This retrospective study compared patients undergoing robotic liver resections and transthoracic laparoscopic resections of the PS segments between January 2016 and December 2022 in a high-volume HPB center. Patients' characteristics, perioperative outcomes, and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 30 RLR and 16 TTL were included. Only wedge resections were performed in the TTL group, while 43% of the patients in the RLR group had an anatomical resection (p < 0.001). The difficulty score according to the IWATE difficulty scoring system was significantly higher in the RLR group (p < 0.001). Total operative time was similar between the two groups. Complication rates, either overall or major, were comparable between the two techniques and hospital stay was significantly shorter in the RLR group. Patients in the TTL group were found to have more pulmonary complications (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: RLR may provide some advantages over TTL for the resection of tumors located in the PS segments.

Oesophageal-pericardial fistula: a rare complication of radiation-induced oesophagitis.

Oesophageal-pericardial fistula after radiation therapy for lung cancer is a rare complication associated with a high mortality. In this case report, we present the case of 52-year-old women with late radiation-induced oesophagitis after chemoradiotherapy for a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, complicated by an oesophageal-pericardial fistula for which a transthoracic oesophagectomy with pericardial drainage was performed. The postoperative course was complicated by a fatal hypovolaemic shock due to a perforation of the descending aorta near the initial fistula track. In this case report, we illustrate the importance of thorough inspection of diagnostic images in this context and emphasize the role of endovascular repair in case an associated aortic perforation is suspected.