Improving safety of robotic major hepatectomy with extrahepatic inflow control and laparoscopic CUSA parenchymal transection: technical description and initial experience.

BACKGROUND: Blood loss is a major determinant of outcomes following hepatectomy. Robotic technology enables hepatobiliary surgeons to mimic open techniques for inflow control and parenchymal transection during major hepatectomy, increasing the ability to minimize blood loss and perform safe liver resections. METHODS: Initial experience of 20 consecutive major robotic hepatectomies from November 2018 to July 2020 at two co-located institutions was reviewed. All cases were performed with extrahepatic inflow control and parenchymal transection with the laparoscopic cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA), and a technical description is illustrated. Clinical characteristics, operative data, and surgical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median (range) patient age was 58 years (20-76) and the majority of 14 (70%) patients were ASA III-IV. There were 12 (60%) resections for malignancy and the median tumor size was 6.2 cm (1.2-14.6). Right or extended right hepatectomy was the most common procedure (12 or 60% of cases). There were 7 (35%) left or extended left hepatectomies and 1 (5%) central hepatectomy. The median operative time was 420 (177-622) minutes. Median estimated blood loss was 300 mL (25-800 mL). One (5%) case was converted to open. Two (10%) patients required blood transfusion. The median length of stay was 3 (1-6) days. Major complications included 1 (5%) Clavien-Dindo IIIa bile leak requiring percutaneous drainage placement. There was no 90-day mortality. CONCLUSION: Advanced techniques to reduce blood loss in robotic hepatectomy may optimize safety and minimize morbidity in these complex minimally invasive procedures.

Robot-assisted combined pancreatectomy/hepatectomy for metastatic pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma: case report and review of the literature.

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm with less aggressive behavior than ductal carcinoma. As a result, surgical resection for metastatic ACC is a therapeutic option which can result in long-term survival. There is a paucity of data describing institutional approaches to these challenging patients, and therefore, we herein describe our institution's approach to a patient with a distal pancreatic ACC and isolated liver metastasis. The patient underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (FOLFIRINOX), followed by a robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy/splenectomy and non-anatomic segment 6 resection. He was discharged to home post-operative day 2. Final pathology revealed complete tumor response of the liver metastasis and a margin negative resection of the primary tumor. He remains disease free and without complications at 3 months. We highlight that combined modality therapy for metastatic ACC can yield long-term survival in selected patients. Similarly, the robotic platform enables performance of complex multivisceral resections with rapid recovery. Future research investigating precision medicine for metastatic ACC is warranted given widely variable tumor biology in this disease.