Abstract
In minimally invasive transthoracic esophagectomy, intrathoracic anastomoses are usually performed with stapling devices to avoid a technically challenging handsewn technique in the upper mediastinum. Few have published about handsewn anastomotic techniques due to the technically demanding requirements for suturing with rigid instruments in the thoracic cavity. With robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE), the robot provides increased dexterity, enabling construction of a hand-sewn intrathoracic anastomosis. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of our technique for hand-sewn intrathoracic anastomosis in RAMIE, following the initial learning phase between 2016 and 2018 in UMC Utrecht. Patients who underwent RAMIE with a robot-assisted hand-sewn intrathoracic anastomosis were included in this retrospective study. Data were extracted from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Key technique steps included esophageal stay-sutures, use of barbed sutures for the anastomosis, placement of tension-releasing stitches, and covering of the anastomosis with omentum. The primary outcome was anastomotic leakage; secondary outcomes included anastomotic stricture rate and duration of anastomosis construction. Between 1 November 2019 and 30 May 2023, 89 consecutive patients were included. Anastomotic leakage (defined by the Esophageal Complications Consensus Group) occurred in 11 patients (12.4%), which involved a grade I leak in four patients (4.5%), grade II leak in one patient (1.1%), and grade III leakage in six patients (6.7%). The median duration of anastomosis creation was 33 minutes (range, 23-55 minutes). Stricture rate was 32.6% (29 patients) at 1 year post-operatively for which dilation was needed for all patients. This study shows that a robot-assisted hand-sewn intrathoracic anastomosis in RAMIE is feasible, safe, and reliable.