For the first time in Greece, the first robotic right colectomy was successfully performed at the Athens Euroclinic, with total mesocolon and lymph node resection level C (CME), which is an innovative robotic procedure performed on patients with cancer on the right part of the colon and increases survival rates by 10%, at all stages of the disease, compared to the existing techniques.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Thaleia Petropoulou MD, PhD, FRCS, Surgeon, specialized in Robotics & Minimally Invasive Surgery of the Lower Digestive Tract, Athens Euroclinic, in cooperation with Dr. Danilo Miskovic, Surgeon at St. Mark’s Hospital, with remote live connection and the use of augmented reality. During the procedure, the patient underwent 3D recomposition of vessels and then, the surgeons proceeded with the robotic surgery, which includes not only removal of the part with the tumor with healthy margins, but also lymph node resection along the vessels that supply the tumor. After the procedure, the patient had a smooth recovery, enjoyed a light meal, became mobile from the first postoperatively day and was discharged on the third day, in very good clinical condition.
Since it is a technically difficult procedure, to date, this robotic surgery method was only performed in dedicated centers abroad and only by trained surgeons. The benefits of the method are multiple for the patient, since it reduces local recurrences, while at the same time increases survival rates up to 10% at all stages of the disease (I-III) compared to the existing techniques, offering patients the chance to treat colon cancer effectively.
As Dr. Thaleia Petropoulou mentioned, “It is our duty to keep up with the latest developments in surgical oncology, driven by advanced medical technology. The use of the robotic platform not only offers immediate recovery, but also allows us to perform unique and technically difficult procedures with extreme accuracy, so that we can achieve better oncologic results for our patients.”
