OBJECTIVES: to evaluate the surgical and oncological outcomes of patients with extraperitoneal rectal cancer who underwent robotic total mesorectal excision (TEM). METHODS: from January 2007 to March 2010 a total of 60 patients were consecutively operated on through robotic technique. Data regarding surgical data and oncological outcomes were prospectively registered in a database. RESULTS: 35 men and 25 women underwent surgery. The mean age was 60.3 ± 11.7 years. Sphincter preserving surgery was possible in 52 patients. The mean number lymph node harvested was 18.7 ± 8.8 lymph nodes. The mean distal surgical margin was 2.9 ± 1.7 cm, while the radial margin was negative in all patients. The duration of postoperative follow-up was 14.3 months. Only one local recurrence was observed. The overall and the cancer-specific survival were respectively 97.6% and 98.3%. CONCLUSIONS: robotic TEM is feasible and safe. It is equal or superior to open and laparoscopic techniques in terms of morbidity and mortality rates, sphincter preservation rates and early oncological outcomes
robotics; colorectal surgery; minimally invasive surgical procedures; rectal neoplasms
