Abstract: Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the safety of robotic and laparotomy hepatectomy in dealing with patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Methods A total of 27 patients with ICC were enrolled in the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery Center, Drum Tower Hospital between January 2019 and December 2020, and 9 patients received robotic hepatectomy and 18 open surgery. Results The radical surgery was finished in all patients in both groups; there were no significant differences respect to operation time [(198±32)min vs. (215±74) min], intraoperative blood loss [200 (100,250) ml vs.(275(200,300) ml] and intraoperative blood transfusion (0.0% vs. 11.1%, all P>0.05); there were no significant differences as respect to maximal tumor diameter [4.0 (2.5,5.5) cm vs. 6.3 (3.9, 6.5) cm], R0 resection rate (100.0% vs. 88.0%) and lymph node metastasis rate (44.4% vs. 38.9%) between the two groups (P>0.05); the postoperative bed time and hospitalization stay in patients receiving robotic surgery were 2(1, 2.5)d and 7(4, 8)d, significantly shorter than [3(1.8, 3.5)d and 11(8, 12)d, respectively, P<0.05] in patients receiving open surgery, and there was no significant difference respect to medical costs [113.0 (91.0, 135.0) thousands in robotic vs. 101.0(880.0, 115.0) thousands in open surgery, P>0.05); there was no significant difference in post-operational complications (11.1% vs. 27.8%) in the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion The robotic hepatectomy in dealing with patients with ICC in safe, with a rapid postoperative recovery.

Key words: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, Hepatectomy, Robot, Surgery