Male sex, low anastomosis, preoperative chemoradiation, advanced tumor stage, perioperative bleeding, and multiple firings of the linear stapler increased the risk of AL after laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. A diverting stoma might be mandatory in patients with 2 or more of the risk factors identified in this analysis.

No significant differences were found in the 5-year overall, disease-free survival and local recurrence rates between robotic and laparoscopic surgical procedures. We concluded that robotic surgery for rectal cancer failed to offer any oncologic or clinical benefits as compared with laparoscopy despite an increased cost.

Tumor-specific mesorectal excision was performed safely and effectively using the da Vinci Surgical System and the perioperative outcomes were acceptable.

R-TME for rectal cancer is associated with earlier recovery of normal voiding and sexual function compared to patients who underwent L-TME, although this result needs to be verified by larger prospective comparative studies.

No abstract