Robot-assisted laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy for advanced malignant biliary obstruction.

INTRODUCTION To report our experience in palliative hepaticojejunostomy for advanced malignant biliary obstruction by means of robotic approach METHODS Robot-assisted laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy for advanced malignant biliary obstruction was performed in nine patients from May 2009 to April 2014. RESULTS During the study period, robotic hepaticojejunostomy for advanced malignant biliary obstruction was completed successfully in nine patients. Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy and double (hepaticojejunostomy, and gastrojejunostomy) bypass were performed in five and four patients, respectively. The mean operating time was 212.8 minutes. The mean blood loss was 38.7 mL. The overall complication rate was 22.2%. Bile leak complication occurred in one patient only. There was no procedure-related mortality. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 13.3 days. Five patients received palliative systemic chemotherapy after bypass surgery. The mean survival time was 11.1 months. During follow up, only three patients with cholangiocarcinoma had recurrent biliary obstruction after end-to-side hepaticojejunostomy due to tumor progression, and needed percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage. Among these nine patients, there were a total of eight episodes of readmission in four patients due to tumor-related symptoms or complications. CONCLUSIONS Robot-assisted laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy for advanced malignant biliary obstruction had a low complication rate and was associated with an improved quality of life.