Colorectal Robotic‐Assisted Surgery in Children. Long‐Term Outcomes and Pitfalls

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Colorectal surgical procedures may benefit from a minimally invasive approach in children, although there are few studies. METHODS: A retrospective, single-centre observational study was conducted on paediatric patients who underwent colorectal robotic-assisted surgery between 2011 and 2022. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients (33 male; 17 female) were included, with a median age of 4.8 years (IQR:2.5-6.3 years). The main indication was robotic Soave pull-through for Hirschsprung's disease in 21 cases. No conversions or intraoperative complications were reported. Operative time varied depending on the procedure, with a median of 183 min (IQR:151-224 min). Median hospital stay was 4 days (IQR:3-5 days). Four postoperative complications were observed, two of them Clavien-Dindo IIIb (one colo-anal partial dehiscence and one anastomotic leak after megasigmoid resection). Regarding long-term follow-up (median 7.6 years; IQR:4.8-10.6 years), 4 patients (8%) required surgical reintervention. CONCLUSION: Colorectal robotic-assisted surgery encompasses several procedures with low complication rates and satisfactory long-term outcomes.