Robotic Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection

As technique and technology have evolved in the modern age, surgical emphasis has shifted steadily towards minimally invasive alternatives. In colon surgery, laparoscopy has been shown to improve multiple outcome metrics, including reductions in post-operative morbidity, pain, and hospital length of stay, while maintaining surgical success rates. Unfortunately, despite the minimally invasive approach, elective laparoscopic sigmoidectomy typically requires an abdominal wall extraction site, leaving a large incision in addition to the laparoscopic port sites. It also utilizes three different types of intestinal staplers, leading to an anastomosis that may have multiple intersecting staple lines, thereby potentially influencing the anastomotic integrity, as well as increasing procedural costs substantially.
We present a case of a totally robotic sigmoidectomy utilizing a single stapler technique and natural orifice specimen extraction in a patient with multiple, severe, recurrent episodes of sigmoid diverticulitis over a 2-year period.

A 34-year-old non-hypertensive, obese female with a history of smoking, asthma, fibromyalgia presented at the ED with hemoptysis, dyspnea, and emesis for two weeks. At presentation the patient was afebrile, vital signs were stable and labs showed unremarkable CBC and BMP. Chest X-ray showed an abnormal soft tissue density within the subcarinal region. A follow-up chest CT with contrast revealed a posterior mediastinal mass measuring 5.4 cm x 3.6 cm in size with well-circumscribed borders. The patient was referred to cardiothoracic surgery for complete excision of the mass. She underwent robotic-assisted posterior mediastinal mass resection.

This video demonstrates successful Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS) excision of a large, midline, base of tongue venolymphatic malformation after pre-operative embolization in a 6-year-old boy.