Minimally invasive right colectomy - from conventional laparoscopic resection to robotic-assisted surgery: a narrative review

Abstract

Robotic-assisted abdominal surgery was introduced with the aim of overcoming the drawbacks of the conventional laparoscopic approach. The present narrative review focuses on the comparison between laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches for right colectomy (RC) regarding short- and long-term outcomes, costs, and learning curve. The main technical aspects related to the use of robotic assistance for this specific procedure are further discussed. Minimally invasive RC is considered technically challenging due to the particularities of the right and middle colic vascular anatomy. Robotic RC is not yet widespread due to its high cost and longer operating time. However, its use may result in advantages regarding short-term clinical outcomes, and it facilitates the acquisition of basic surgical skills by speeding up the learning curve of minimally invasive colorectal surgery