Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30014329›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2019

Comparison of early experience of robotic and transanal total mesorectal excision using propensity score matching.

Wai Lun Law, Dominic C C Foo

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
21citing papers in PubMed, 7 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 12% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

21 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.

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  18. Role of minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer.World journal of gastroenterology · 2020
    Review
  19. Article
  20. Transanal TME: new standard or fad?Journal of the anus, rectum and colon · 2019
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.

Wai Lun LawDepartment of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. lawwl@hku.hk.
Dominic C C FooDepartment of Surgery, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
University of Hong Kong · HK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRobotic surgery and transanal minimally invasive surgery are the two recently developed techniques, which can overcome the difficult pelvic dissection in conventional laparoscopy. This study aimed to compare the early cases of robotic and transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) using propensity score matching.

methodsThe first 40 cases of taTME and the first 80 sphincter-saving robotic total mesorectal resection for rectal cancer were selected from the prospectively collected database. Using propensity score matching, the outcomes of 40 matched cases of robotic TME were compared with the 40 cases of taTME.

resultsBefore matching, patients in the taTME group were significantly younger. The tumors were smaller but more distally located. Significantly more patients in the taTME group received preoperative chemoradiation. After matching, the two groups did not show any differences in gender, age, comorbidity, the level of tumors, and incidences of preoperative chemoradiation. The operating time was significantly shorter (254 vs. 170 min, p < 0.05) and the blood loss was less (50 vs. 150 ml, p = 0.002) in the taTME group. Conversion rate was 5% in both groups. There was no difference in the hospital stay, overall morbidity, the anastomotic leakage rate, and the urinary complication rate between the two groups. More patients in the taTME group did not require a separate abdominal incision. The distal margin, the number of lymph nodes examined, and the rate positive circumferential margin (0 vs. 5%, p = 0.494) were also similar between the two groups.

conclusionsBoth taTME and robotic surgery can achieve favorable outcomes in the rectal cancer resection. Comparison of the early experience of the two procedures with propensity score matching showed the taTME was associated with a shorter operating time, less blood loss, and a higher rate of transanal extraction of the specimen. Further evaluation by randomized trials is warranted.

Indexed as

AdenocarcinomaAdultAgedAged, 80 and overDatabases, FactualFemaleHumansLength of StayMaleMargins of ExcisionMiddle AgedOperative TimePostoperative ComplicationsProctectomyPropensity ScoreRectal NeoplasmsRoboticTotal mesorectal excisionTransanal

Identifiers

PMID30014329
OpenAlexW2884271413

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.