Photo Credit: iStock.com/Denes Farkas

A hybrid robotic-laparoscopic approach for proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) in ulcerative colitis provides multiple benefits compared with pure laparoscopy, according to findings published in the International Journal of Colorectal Disease. Valerio Celentano, MD, PhD, and colleagues assessed a hybrid strategy that combined robotic and laparoscopic methods with a focus on the impact of the robotic learning curve and surgical training. All patients (N=25) underwent hybrid or laparoscopic proctocolectomy with IPAA for ulcerative colitis: 14 in the hybrid group and 11 in the laparoscopic group. Median operating time was 300 minutes with hybrid versus 325 minutes with laparoscopic. In the hybrid surgery group, a supervised surgical trainee performed 72% to 90% of the laparoscopic part of the procedure. “The hybrid robotic-laparoscopic approach offers potential benefits over pure laparoscopy by reducing operative time and postoperative complications,” Dr. Celentano and colleagues wrote. “Additionally, it provides a structured modular training opportunity, allowing surgeons to develop both laparoscopic and robotic skills.”