Reduced-port robotic total mesorectal resection for rectal cancer using a single-port access: a technical note

Introduction: Single-port laparoscopic surgery has some advantages, including improved cosmetic outcomes and minimized parietal trauma. However, pure single-port laparoscopic rectal cancer surgery is challenging because of the difficulties in creating triangulation and applying the laparoscopic staplers with sufficient distal margins in the narrow pelvic cavity. Recently, a reduced-port robotic operation with a robotic single-port access plus one wristed robotic arm for colon cancer was introduced to overcome the limitations of single-port laparoscopic rectal surgery.

Aim: Single-port laparoscopic surgery has some advantages, including improved cosmetic outcomes and minimized parietal trauma. However, the pure single-port laparoscopic rectal cancer operation is challenging. Recently, a reduced-port robotic operation with a robotic single-port access plus one wristed robotic arm for colon cancer was introduced to overcome the limitations of single-port laparoscopic rectal surgery.

Material and methods: We performed a single-port plus an additional port robotic operation using a robotic single-port access through the umbilical incision, and the wristed robotic instruments were inserted through an additional robotic port in the right lower quadrant.

Results: The total operative and docking times were 310 min and 25 min, respectively. The total number of lymph nodes harvested was 12, and the proximal and distal resection margins were 11.1 and 2 cm, respectively. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 12 uneventfully.

Conclusions: Based on a representative case, reduced-port robotic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer using the single-port access appears to be feasible and safe. This approach could overcome the limitations of single-port laparoscopic rectal surgery.