Robotic radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma: perioperative and long-term outcomes of an initial series

Background Radical resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCa) is one of the most challenging abdominal procedures. Robotic-assisted approach is gaining popularity in hepatobiliary surgery but scarcely tried in the management of HCa. We herein report our initial experience of robotic radical resection for HCa. Methods Between May 2009 and October 2012, 10 patients underwent fully robotic-assisted radical resection for HCa in a single institute. The perioperative and long-term outcomes were analyzed and compared with a contemporaneous 32 patients undergoing traditional open surgery. Results The 10 patients presented one of Bismuth–Corlette type II, four of IIIa, one of IIIb and four of IV. There was no significant clinicopathological disparity between the robotic and open groups. The robotic radical resection involves hemihepatectomy plus caudate lobectomy or trisectionectomy, extrahepatic bile duct resection, radical lymphadenectomy and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. No conversion to laparotomy occurred. Robotic resection compared unfavorably to traditional open resection in operative time (703 ± 62 vs. 475 ± 121 min, p