Tele-robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy using a double-surgeon cockpit on a cadaver

Yuma Ebihara; Satoshi Hirano; Toshiaki Shichinohe; Hajime Morohashi; Eiji Oki; Kenichi Hakamada; Norihiko Ikeda; Masaki Mori

doi:10.1007/s00595-024-02986-9

Tele-robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy using a double-surgeon cockpit on a cadaver

Surg Today. 2025 Jan 6. doi: 10.1007/s00595-024-02986-9. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Yuma Ebihara^{1

2}, Satoshi Hirano^{3

4}, Toshiaki Shichinohe^{4

5}, Hajime Morohashi^{3

6}, Eiji Oki^{3

7}, Kenichi Hakamada^{3

6}, Norihiko Ikeda^{3

8}, Masaki Mori^{3

9}

Affiliations

¹ Committee for Promotion of Remote Surgery Implementation, Japan Surgical Society, Tokyo, Japan. [email protected].
² Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 0608638, Japan. [email protected].
³ Committee for Promotion of Remote Surgery Implementation, Japan Surgical Society, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Department of Gastroenterological Surgery II, Faculty of Medicine, Hokkaido University, North 15 West 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, 0608638, Japan.
⁵ Center for Education Research and Innovation of Advanced Medical Technology, Hokkaido University Hospital, Sapporo, Japan.
⁶ Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan.
⁷ Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
⁸ Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan.

PMID: 39760752
DOI: 10.1007/s00595-024-02986-9

Abstract

We conducted this study to evaluate the efficacy of robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) on cadavers in the prone position, utilizing telesurgical support through the double-surgeon cockpit (double SC) of the novel Japanese-made surgical robot system, hinotori^™ (Medicaroid, Kobe, Japan). The Cadaveric Anatomy and Surgical Training Laboratory (CAST Lab) at Hokkaido University and Kushiro City General Hospital (KCGH) are interconnected by a dedicated 1 Gbps internet line, spanning 300 km. An operation unit and double SC were installed at CAST Lab, whereas the double SC proctor was installed at KCGH. RAMIE was performed with telesurgical support on two adult cadavers. The onsite and proctor operation times were recorded as 88/79 min and 64/75 min, respectively. Throughout the surgical procedures, communication remained stable, with an average communication delay of 13.1 ms (range: 11.0-15.0 ms). This study demonstrated the feasibility of performing RAMIE with the patient in the prone position, supported by telesurgical support using a double SC on the hinotori^™ platform.

Keywords: Double-surgeon cockpit; Esophagectomy; Robotic surgery; Telesurgery.

Grants and funding

21hs0122001h0002/Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)