A comparative study on the short-term clinical outcomes of Da Vinci SP versus Da Vinci Xi for rectal cancer surgery

Purpose: The Da Vinci SP robot system was recently introduced, but its safety and feasibility for rectal cancer compared with the currently used robot system have not been reported. Methods: This was a single-centre retrospective study. Data from patients who underwent abdominal total mesorectal excision (TME) from October 2015 to October 2022 were analysed. After propensity score matching, the short-term outcomes were compared. Results: A total of 56 patient data were analysed. Intersphincteric resection was more common in the SP group (7 cases (25%) vs. 0 case (0%), p = 0.001). The operation time was significantly shorter in SP (184 vs. 227.5 min, p < 0.0001), but the docking time was similar. The postoperative complications were similar. There were no differences in the postoperative pain score and length of hospital stay. Conclusion: The SP robotic system for abdominal TME has acceptable short-term and is safe and technically feasible.