Objective To investigate the short-term postoperative pain between robot-assisted and thoracolaparoscopic McKeown esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma. Methods We prospectively analyzed clinical data of 77 patients with esophageal carcinoma in our hospital between September 2016 and February 2017. The patients were allocated into two groups including a robot group and a thoracolaparoscopic group. The patients underwent robot assisted McKeown esophagectomy in the robot group and thoracolaparoscopic McKeown esophagectomy in the thoracolaparoscopic group. There were 38 patients with 30 males and 8 females at average age of 60.80±6.20 years in the thoracolaparoscopic group, and 39 patients with 35 males and 4 females at average age of 60.90±7.20 years in the robot group. Results There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of the postoperative usage of analgesic drugs. The patients in the robot group experienced less postoperative pain on postoperative day 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 than the patients in the thoracolaparoscopic group. The mean value of visual analogue scale (VAS) on postoperative day 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7 for the robot group and the thoracolaparoscopic group was 3.20±1.10 versus 2.70±0.90 (P=0.002), 2.75±0.96 versus 2.40±0.98 (P=0.030), 2.68±1.08 versus 2.02±0.8 (P=0.005); 2.49±0.99 versus 1.81±0.88 (P=0.003), 2.27±0.83 versus 1.51±0.61 (P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion Compared with the thoracolaparoscopic group, patients receiving robot assisted McKeown esophagectomy experience less postoperative short-term pain. However, the long-term postoperative pain for these patients needs to be further studied.
Objective To explore the clinical application value of the spinal robot-assisted surgical system in mild to moderate lumbar spondylolisthesis and evaluate the accuracy of its implantation. Methods The clinical data of 56 patients with Meyerding grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ lumbar spondylolisthesis who underwent minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) between January 2017 and December 2017 were retrospectively analysed. Among them, 28 cases were preoperatively planned with robotic arm and percutaneous pedicle screw placement according to preoperative planning (group A); the other 28 cases underwent fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pedicle screw placement (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, slippage type, Meyerding grade, and surgical segmental distribution between the two groups (P>0.05). The screw insertion angle was measured by CT, the accuracy of screw implantation was evaluated by Neo’s criteria, and the invasion of superior articular process was evaluated by Babu’s method. Results One hundred and twelve screws were implanted in the two groups respectively, 5 screws (4.5%) in group A and 26 screws (23.2%) in group B penetrated the lateral wall of pedicle, and the difference was significant (χ2=9.157, P=0.002); the accuracy of nail implantation was assessed according to Neo’s criteria, the results were 107 screws of degree 0, 3 of degree 1, 2 of degree 2 in group A, and 86 screws of degree 0, 16 of degree 1, 6 of degree 2, 4 of degree 3 in group B, showing significant difference between the two groups (Z=4.915, P=0.031). In group B, 20 (17.9%) screws penetrated the superior articular process, while in group A, 80 screws were removed from the decompression side, and only 3 (3.8%) screws penetrated the superior articular process. According to Babu’s method, the degree of screw penetration into the facet joint was assessed. The results were 77 screws of grade 0, 2 of grade 1, 1 of grade 2 in group A, and 92 screws of grade 0, 13 of grade 1, 4 of grade 2, 3 of grade 3 in group B, showing significant difference between the two groups (Z=7.814, P=0.029). The screw insertion angles of groups A and B were (23.5±6.6)° and (18.1±7.5)° respectively, showing significant difference (t=3.100, P=0.003). Conclusion Compared to fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous pedicle screw placement, robot-assisted percutaneous pedicle screw placement has the advantages such as greater accuracy, lower incidence of screw penetration of the pedicle wall and invasion of the facet joints, and has a better screw insertion angle. Combined with MIS-TLIF, robot-assisted percutaneous pedicle screw placement is an effective minimally invasive treatment for lumbar spondylolisthesis.