Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42012535›Full record

ArticlePediatric surgery international2026

Robot-assisted versus conventional minimally invasive surgery in the treatment of paediatric neuroblastoma: a single-centre retrospective study.

Stefano Avanzini, Serena Reali, Federico Palo, Massimo Conte, Stefania Sorrentino, Filippo Spreafico, Girolamo Mattioli

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Pediatric surgery international, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

7 authors.

Stefano Avanzini *Paediatric Surgery Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
Serena Reali *Paediatric Surgery Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy. serena.reali11@gmail.com.
Federico PaloPaediatric Surgery Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
Massimo ContePaediatric Oncology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
Stefania SorrentinoPaediatric Oncology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
Filippo SpreaficoPaediatric Oncology Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.
Girolamo MattioliPaediatric Surgery Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gaslini 5, 16147, Genoa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionNeuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumour in childhood. Although minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is increasingly used in selected patients with neuroblastic tumours, comparative data between robot-assisted and conventional MIS are lacking. MATERIALS AND

methodsA single-centre retrospective study was conducted on 84 patients who underwent minimally invasive resection of neuroblastic tumours between 2008 and 2025. Patients were divided into conventional MIS and robot-assisted surgery groups. Demographic data, tumour characteristics and surgical and oncological outcomes were compared.

resultsThe robot-assisted group included a higher number of patients with Image-Defined Risk Factor (IDRF) ≥ 1 (57% vs. 8%). Robotic surgery was therefore preferentially employed in more complex cases, resulting in higher conversion rate and longer operative time. Despite the higher prevalence of patients with IDRF ≥ 1 in the robotic group, intraoperative and postoperative complication rates were comparable between groups. Notably, conversions were not performed for emergency reasons but were based on intraoperative decision-making.

conclusionsRobot-assisted surgery may safely expand selection criteria to selected patients with positive IDRFs, while maintaining oncological principles and without increasing intra and postoperative morbidity.

Indexed as

Minimally Invasive Surgical ProceduresNeuroblastomaRobotic Surgical ProceduresChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansInfantMalePostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeIDRFMinimally invasive surgeryNeuroblastic tumoursNeuroblastomaPaediatric oncologyRobot-assisted surgery

Identifiers

PMID42012535
PMCPMC13099698

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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.