Robotic surgery outperforms laparoscopic technique for extended mesorectal excision

A comprehensive meta-analysis reveals that robotic-assisted extended mesorectal excision (r-etme) demonstrates lower recurrence rates and fewer hospital admission days compared to laparoscopic-assisted extended mesorectal excision (l-etme). Although operative times were longer for robotic surgery, urinary complications were also more significant in the laparoscopic group. Overall, the findings support the potential advantages of robotic techniques in managing lateral lymph node metastasis during surgical procedures, suggesting a need for more research in this area.