EUnetHTA; 6 May 2019. Report No.: OTCA14.
- The diverse range of surgeries included in this review, combined with the lack of reliable evidence for almost all indications, poses difficulties for the analysis and reporting of results.
- Statements relating to effect can be made for Oesophagectomy, Gastrectomy, Rectal resection and Cholecystectomy.
- Oesophagectomy: robot-assisted surgery probably improves post-operative morbidity/QoL and reduces post-operative complications compared to open surgery (evidence quality: moderate). Intra-operative complications may be reduced with robot-assisted surgery vs. open surgery but here the evidence quality is low.
- Gastrectomy: robot-assisted surgery may reduce postoperative complications vs conventional laparoscopy (evidence quality: low)
- Rectal resection: robot-assisted surgery may improve sexual functioning but worsen sleep disturbances compared with conventional laparoscopy (evidence quality: low); robot-assisted surgery may decrease postoperative complications between 30 days and 6 months, but increase intraoperative complications (evidence quality: low)
- Cholecystectomy: robot-assisted surgery may reduce intraoperative complications and postoperative complications at 30 days compared to laparoscopy (evidence quality: low)
