Robot-assisted surgery for colorectal cancer using the Hugo™ RAS system: an observational study with the initial 118 cases and a literature review.

PURPOSE: Robot-assisted surgery has been widely adopted for treating colorectal cancer (CRC). The Hugo™ robotic-assisted surgery (Hugo) system is a novel modular robotic platform; however, clinical data regarding its use for CRC remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the perioperative and short-term outcomes of surgery for CRC using Hugo.

METHODS

In this single-center, retrospective observational study, consecutive patients with CRC who underwent Hugo-assisted surgery were included. The clinicopathological characteristics and short-term outcomes were analyzed. All procedures were performed by or under the supervision of a surgeon with substantial experience in robot-assisted colorectal surgery.

RESULTS

A total of 118 patients were included (57 with colon cancer and 61 with rectal cancer). The median operative times were 281 and 328 min for colon and rectal cancers, respectively. There were Clavien-Dindo Grade II complications in three patients with colon cancer and six with rectal cancer, and Grade III complications in two patients in the colon and one in the rectal cancer group. There were no intraoperative complications or conversions to open surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Hugo-assisted surgery for CRC is feasible and safe. As the largest single-center series reported to date, this study provides important clinical evidence supporting the applicability of Hugo.