ROBOT-ASSISTED MINIMALLY INVASIVE TRANSTHORACIC FUNDOPLICATION FOR HIATAL HERNIA - A NOVEL APPROACH
Keywords:
RATS, fundoplication, Belsey-Mark IV, hiatal herniaAbstract
Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to achieve great results with the benefits provided by the robot,
mainly the enhanced vision and precise movements of instruments. This changed the concept of some of the
operating techniques already established in the field. We present two cases of hiatal hernia repair with the da Vinci
X system using the Belsey-Mark IV technique. The literature review shows that the robotic system is being used
mainly for other types of hiatal hernia surgery and that for the Belsey technique a modified transabdominal approach
is popular. Our patients underwent robot-asisted transthoracic operations with good postoperative results. Although
challenging the robot-assisted minimally invasive transthoracic fundoplication for type 1 hiatal hernia proved to be
applicable with good short-term results, no early complications, fast recovery, and minimal postoperative stay.
Further studies and randomized controlled trials are necessary to test the non-inferiority of the method to
transabdominal laparoscopic and robot-assisted approaches.
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