BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in testicular cancer is a documented treatment along with active surveillance and chemotherapy. This study aims to summarize the current evidence on the use of Robot-assisted RPLND (RARPLND) in comparison with the laparoscopic and open approach.
METHODS: A search was conducted in the existing literature focusing on reports with outcomes of RARPLND for stage I-IIB testicular tumor.
RESULTS: Eleven studies complied with the inclusion criteria, including 116 patients. The average follow-up of 21.2 months showed no retroperitoneal recurrence. The median lymph node yield was 22.3 and the overall positive rate was 26%. Complications were encountered in 8% of the patients. The robotic approach showed similar results to the laparoscopic approach and outperformed the open procedure in perioperative parameters.
CONCLUSIONS: Relapse-free survival, nodal yield, and complication rates during RARPLND for clinical stage I-IIB are acceptable. Further studies are required to establish these findings and determine benefit from the use of robotic approach.