Robot-assisted sleeve gastrectomy in patients with obesity with a novel Chinese domestic MicroHand SII surgical system

A new device has been added to the Chinese MicroHand surgical robot family, developed based on the successful application of control algorithms. As a benefit of using these specialized control algorithms, the motion mapping relation can be accommodated into the system without the help of a built-in image system, resulting in a novel Chinese domestic surgical robot with two arms called MicroHand SII, which is different from the former MicroHand S and da Vinci systems. In this study, we investigate the performance of a novel MicroHand SII robotic platform in patients with obesity. From March 2018 to April 2019, a total of 7 patients whose BMI ranged from 29.9 to 49.8 kg/m2 were operated on with the robot-assisted technique using the MicroHand SII surgical system. Data regarding demography, surgical procedure and the 3-month outcome postoperation were collected. There were 2 female and 5 male patients with a median age (range) of 35 (20–51) years. The median operative time was 160 (149–195) minutes. None were converted to open surgery. All anthropometry indices improved significantly (p < 0.05) at 3 months postoperatively. There were no cases of surgical site infection, gastrointestinal/abdominal bleeding, or conversion to an open operation. The initial experience showed that the Chinese domestic robot surgical system MicroHand SII could be feasibly and safely applied in sleeve gastrectomy in patients with obesity. Because of the unique design of this system such as a two-hand robot, an array of master–slave motion strategies, and a roll joint at the end of the instruments that allows 7 degrees of freedom, this robotic platform has presented its own obvious advantages.