Short-term Safety of Robot-assisted Rectal Surgery in Patients Aged ≥75 Years: A Single-center Retrospective Study.

Background/aim: The aging population challenges surgical management of rectal cancer. This study evaluated the short-term safety of robot-assisted rectal surgery (RARS) in patients aged 75 years and older, examining perioperative complications and surgical outcomes in this vulnerable population.

Patients and methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted at Okayama University Hospital from September 2020 to December 2024, including 109 patients undergoing RARS. Patients were divided into older (≥75 years, n=19) and non-older (<75 years, n=90) groups. Surgical procedures utilized the da Vinci Xi system, with comprehensive assessment of perioperative characteristics and complications using the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Results: The older group demonstrated significantly higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (89.5% ≥2 vs. 58.9% in non-older group, p=0.036). Postoperative complications were more frequent in the older group (8 vs. 18 cases, p=0.04), though severe complications were similar to those in the non-older group. Median postoperative hospital stay was longer in the older group (12 vs. 9 days, p=0.01), but this difference disappeared when excluding stoma cases. Critically, no postoperative mortality was observed within 30 days in either group.

Conclusion: Robot-assisted rectal surgery appears safe for patients aged 75 years and older. While the older group experienced more complications, these were predominantly manageable. The findings suggest that careful patient selection and experienced surgical teams can successfully employ robotic techniques in older patients while maintaining oncological standards.