Robot-assisted surgery excels in lymph node dissection for oesophageal cancer

Robot-assisted oesophagectomy shows superior effectiveness in removing crucial lymph nodes near the recurrent laryngeal nerve, compared to video-assisted techniques, resulting in lower rates of nerve injury. In a multicentre trial in Asia, robot-assisted surgery successfully dissected lymph nodes in 88.3% of cases, significantly outperforming video-assisted surgery at 69%. Robot-assisted procedures also led to fewer cases of short- and long-term nerve injury, enhanced lymph node removal, and speedier postoperative recovery. These findings advocate for the use of robot-assisted techniques for oesophageal cancer surgery to optimize patient outcomes.