Robotic liver resection for colorectal cancer metastases: a feasible and safe procedure

A. Parisi

A 68-year-old man had previously undergone anterior rectal resection for cancer. During the oncology follow-up, CT scan revealed the onset of a repetitive lesion in segment VII of the liver. It was performed an hepatic resection with the aid of the ?Da Vinci? robotic surgical system. Estimated intraoperative bleeding was 90ml and no blood transfusions were necessary in the perioperative period. Operative time was 150 minutes. There was no postoperative morbidity, hospital stay was 3 days. The hystopathological examination of the portion of parenchyma removed (90x60x45mm), perfectly contained the nodule measuring 45x31mm with ample free resection margins. This confirmed the radical solution of the robotic approach adopted. Even if comparative studies are necessary to demonstrate real advantages of robotic approach with respect to classic laparoscopy, Da Vinci Surgical System allows large tridimensional field of view, a steady traction, tremor suppression, flexibility of the instruments and offers improved dexterity with an internal articulated EndoWrist that permits seven degrees of freedom and therefore execution of precise and safe dissection of tissue and sutures.