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Reduced-port robotic surgery offers comparable perioperative outcomes to multiport surgery in endometrial cancerReduced-Port Robotic Surgery Shows Similar Safety for Endometrial Cancer

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Key Takeaway
Consider reduced-port robotic surgery as a viable alternative to multiport surgery with similar perioperative safety profiles.

This meta-analysis evaluates perioperative outcomes and safety for patients with endometrial cancer undergoing robotic surgery, specifically comparing reduced-port (single-site or single-port) techniques against multiport robotic surgery. The analysis included 905 patients across both surgical modalities.

The synthesis indicates that reduced-port surgery is a viable alternative to multiport surgery. While there was a modest reduction in estimated blood loss (MD = -14.83 mL; 95% CI: -29.25 to -0.41) and postoperative hospital stay (MD = -2.12 days; 95% CI: -4.19 to -0.06) in the reduced-port group, other primary outcomes showed no significant differences. These included operative time (MD = 12.54 min; 95% CI: -7.76 to 32.84), transfusion requirements (OR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.09-3.16), and conversion rates to open surgery.

Safety outcomes were comparable between groups, with no significant differences reported for intraoperative complications, overall postoperative complications, or Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III complications. The authors note substantial heterogeneity across the included studies and highlight that the absolute effect sizes for blood loss and hospital stay are small. Consequently, the clinical relevance of these specific differences is uncertain.

How this fits prior evidence

This meta-analysis addresses a gap in surgical technique comparison by evaluating reduced-port versus multiport robotic surgery specifically. It extends prior evidence showing that robotic hysterectomy yields equivalent oncologic outcomes to laparoscopic hysterectomy while reducing blood loss and conversions. This study confirms that within the robotic subset, reduced-port systems provide comparable safety and perioperative outcomes to multiport systems.

Researchers analyzed data from 905 patients undergoing robotic surgery for endometrial cancer. The study compared two different surgical approaches: reduced-port (single-site or single-port) and the traditional multi-port method. The goal was to see if using fewer ports affected safety, operation time, or recovery.

The results showed that both methods were comparable in many areas. There were no significant differences in total surgery time, blood loss, need for transfusions, or the number of complications during or after the procedure. Patients also reported similar levels of pain shortly after surgery regardless of which port method was used.

While there were small reductions in estimated blood loss and hospital stay for those who had reduced-port surgery, these differences were small. Because the study involved a wide variety of different clinical settings, the results should be viewed with caution. For now, the data suggests that reduced-port surgery is a viable option with similar short-term outcomes to standard multiport surgery.

What this means for you:
Reduced-port robotic surgery shows similar safety and recovery times to multi-port methods for endometrial cancer.

Common questions

Is reduced-port surgery safe for endometrial cancer?

Yes, the study found no significant differences in intraoperative complications or overall postoperative complications between reduced-port and multi-port surgeries. Both methods showed similar safety profiles for patients undergoing these procedures.

How does recovery time compare between the two surgical methods?

Patients who underwent reduced-port surgery had a modest reduction in hospital stay of about 2 days compared to multi-port surgery. However, pain scores were similar for both groups at 6 and 24 hours after the operation.

Are there differences in blood loss or complications?

There was a modest reduction in estimated blood loss for the reduced-port group, but no significant difference was found regarding transfusion requirements or conversions to open surgery. Overall complication rates were similar for both groups.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis
Sample sizen = 905
EvidenceLevel 1
PublishedAug 2026
View Original Abstract ↓
Reduced-port robotic surgery, including single-site and single-port approaches, has been increasingly applied in endometrial cancer. However, its clinical value compared with conventional multiport robotic surgery remains uncertain. To systematically compare perioperative outcomes and safety between reduced-port and multiport robotic techniques used for endometrial cancer surgery. Following the PRISMA 2020 recommendations, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis that was prospectively registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261443180). Relevant publications were retrieved by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library from their inception until April 2026. Comparative studies evaluating reduced-port robotic surgery (single-site or single-port) against conventional multiport robotic surgery were eligible for inclusion. Treatment effects for continuous variables were pooled as mean differences, while binary outcomes were combined as odds ratios, each with 95% confidence intervals. A random-effects model was consistently applied in all analyses to accommodate anticipated methodological and clinical heterogeneity among the included studies. Eight comparative studies involving 905 patients (350 in the reduced-port group and 555 in the multiport group) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis demonstrated no significant difference in operative time between reduced-port and multiport robotic surgery (MD = 12.54 min, 95% CI: -7.76 to 32.84; P = 0.23). Compared with multiport robotic surgery, the reduced-port approach was associated with modest reductions in estimated blood loss (MD = - 14.83 mL, 95% CI: -29.25 to - 0.41; P = 0.04) and postoperative hospital stay (MD = - 2.12 days, 95% CI: -4.19 to - 0.06; P = 0.04). However, these findings should be interpreted cautiously given the substantial heterogeneity observed across studies. No significant differences were identified in transfusion requirement (OR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.09-3.16; P = 0.50), conversion to open surgery, intraoperative complications, overall postoperative complications, or Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III complications (all P > 0.05). Postoperative pain scores were comparable between groups at both 6 and 24 h. Subgroup analysis suggested a potential reduction in early postoperative pain with single-port robotic systems, although this finding did not reach statistical significance in the overall analysis. The available evidence suggests that reduced-port robotic surgery represents a viable option for selected patients with endometrial cancer, with broadly similar short-term perioperative outcomes to conventional multiport surgery. Potential modest reductions in estimated blood loss and postoperative hospital stay were observed; however, the clinical relevance of these differences remains uncertain because of the small absolute effect size and substantial heterogeneity among studies. While no overall benefit in postoperative pain was observed, potential differences between platforms, particularly single-port systems, warrant further investigation.
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