Diseases of the colon and rectum
-
Redo surgery for failed colorectal or coloanal anastomosis is a surgical challenge, but despite its technical difficulties and the high associated morbidity risk, it may represent the only valuable option to improve patients' quality of life by avoiding a permanent stoma and decreasing chronic pelvic symptoms. ⋯ Redo surgery for failed colorectal or coloanal anastomosis is a valuable surgical option which allows avoidance of a permanent stoma in nearly 90% of patients. It remains a major undertaking with high intraoperative and postoperative morbidity.
-
Robotic surgery has potential advantages in rectal and pelvic surgery, in which the dissection is performed within a confined operative field. However, the position of robotic colonic surgery remains largely undefined with limited insight of whether it offers any potential advantages over open or laparoscopic colon surgery. ⋯ The present evidence on robotic colonic surgery has shown both feasibility and a safety profile comparable to standard laparoscopic colonic surgery. However, operative time and cost were greater in robotic colonic surgery, with no difference in the length of postoperative stay in comparison with standard laparoscopic colonic surgery. Whether the general surgical community should embark on a new learning curve for robotic colonic surgery can only be answered in the light of future studies.