| Background: Robotic gastrectomy has widely penetrated in the society, but its real advantages inspite of expensive costs or extended operation time are plausible. Methods: Clinical records of patients undergoing robotic or laparoscopic surgery for primary gastric cancer between 2014 and 2019 at our department were retrospectively reviewed using our in-house database. Results: In total, 1166 patients were enrolled (robotic; n=137, laparo; n=1029). The robotic group included more patients undergoing Total/Proximal gastrectomy (42% vs 27%) or receiving NAC (10% vs 5%). Operation time was longer (337 vs 247 minutes), and blood loss was similar. The incidences of morbidity was significantly lower in the robotic group (C-D grade II or more; 5.8% vs 12.8%: p=0.018) (grade III or more; 1.5% vs 6.7%: p=0.012). The incidences of pancreatic fistula, anastomotic leak and abdominal abscess (grade III or more) was 0.7% vs 1.2%, 0% vs 2.6%, and 0% vs 2.2%, thus remarkable reduction of intraabdominal infectious complication by robotic gastrectomy was suggested. When limited to the patients receiving NAC, the incidences of C-D grade III or more morbidity was 0% (0/15) vs 7.5% (4/53) (p=0.273). Conclusions: Robotic gastrectomy is supposed to lead less complication surgery. This advantage may be hilighted in difficult situation surgeries, such as that for upper stomach lesions or that after preoperative chemotherapy. |
