Port site metastases after robot-assisted surgery: a systematic review

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Robotic surgery is a new technique and the aim of this study was to review the available literature on robotic port-site metastasis in oncological patients. METHODS: The results of this study were retrieved after performing a systematic electronic search in PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane databases. RESULTS: In total 204 patients were included in the study, of which five had robotic port-site metastasis. Their age ranged from 35-77 years. The types of cancers causing port-site metastasis were one squamous cell cervical carcinoma, two cervical adenocarcinomas, one gallbladder carcinoma and one transitional cell bladder carcinoma. The port-site metastasis occurred from 3 weeks up to 18 months postoperatively with the tumor measuring from 1.1 to 10.5 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Port-site metastasis is an extremely rare complication of robotic surgery. No safe conclusion can be drawn, but the aim of this study was to raise doctors' suspicion levels to such a rare new entity.