Clinical application of the KangDuo-Surgical Robot-01 in distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer

This study aimed to explore the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of using KangDuo-Surgical Robot-01 (KD-SR-01) for distal gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer. We prospectively enrolled patients undergoing KD-SR-01 assisted distal gastrectomy at our center from September 2023 to December 2023. Data on baseline characteristics, perioperative details, and short-term follow-up were collected prospectively. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. This study included 15 patients with a median age of 60 years (range: 44-74) and a median body mass index of 24.7 [interquartile range (IQR): 19.8-27.0]. None of the patients required conversion to laparotomy or open surgery during lymphadenectomy. Ten patients underwent D2+ lymphadenectomy, four had D2, and one had D1+. Eleven patients had robotic-assisted BII anastomosis, one had robotic-assisted BI anastomosis, and three had laparoscopic BII anastomosis. All patients had negative surgical margins. The median operative time was 210.0 min (IQR: 200.0-225.0), with a median anastomosis time of 32.0 min (IQR: 21.5-54.5) for robotic-assisted BII anastomosis and 20 min for BI anastomosis. The median estimated blood loss was 30 ml (range: 30-50), and the median postoperative hospital stay was 7.0 days (IQR: 7.0-8.0). Four patients (26.7%) experienced Clavien-Dindo grade II postoperative complications, including two cases of hypoalbuminemia, one case of pneumonia, and one case of moderate anemia, with no device-related complications. Short-term follow-up indicated normal postoperative recovery with no radiographic evidence of recurrence. The KD-SR-01 is safe, feasible, and effective for distal gastrectomy and robotic-assisted gastrointestinal reconstruction.