In Japan in 2019, people who had robot-assisted surgery to remove part of their esophagus had more serious complications than those who had similar robotic surgeries on their stomach or rectum.

What we've found so far is that in Japan in 2019, patients who underwent robot-assisted esophagectomy — surgery to remove part of the esophagus — appeared to experience higher rates of serious complications compared to those who had robot-assisted gastrectomy or proctectomy, which involve the stomach or rectum, respectively [1]. Our current analysis shows the evidence leans toward this pattern, based on the data we’ve reviewed. We analyzed 44.0 studies or assertions related to this question, all of which support the finding that serious complications were more common after robot-assisted esophagectomy than after the other two procedures [1]. No studies we reviewed contradicted this observation. However, we do not have exact complication rates or numbers from the evidence provided, so we can’t say how much higher the risk was, only that the trend was consistently reported. It’s important to note that our analysis only reflects what has been documented and submitted for review. We cannot determine from this evidence why esophagectomy might carry a higher risk — whether due to the complexity of the surgery, patient factors, or differences in how care was delivered. We also don’t have data on long-term outcomes or recovery times. Based on what we’ve reviewed so far, the type of robotic surgery a person receives may influence their risk of serious complications, with esophagectomy appearing riskier in this specific context. Still, the evidence doesn’t allow us to draw conclusions about overall safety or success of these procedures in other settings or countries. Practical takeaway: If you’re considering robotic surgery in Japan for esophageal, stomach, or rectal conditions, it may be worth discussing with your doctor why complication risks could differ — especially since robot-assisted esophagectomy seems to have had higher serious complication rates in 2019 compared to similar procedures.