To evaluate the safety and efficacy of da Vinci robot surgery system in assisting choledochal cyst resection, and summarize the experience of surgery.

From March 2016 to December 2018, the clinical data of twelve patients with choledochal cysts, who underwent surgical resection assisted by da Vinci robot surgery system in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the safety and short-term efficacy of the operation.

Robotic-assisted resection of choledochal cysts, gallbladder and modified looped hepatico-jejunostomy were successfully performed on all 12 patients. The median operation time was 385 min (280-420 min), the median intraoperative blood loss was 30 ml (30-100 ml). There were no significant differences in feeding time or hospitalization time between 3 patients with history of abdominal surgery and those without history of surgery. Postoperatively, one patient suffered from intra-abdominal infection, which was cured by conservative treatment later. All patients were discharged with a post-operative hospital stay of (7.7±1.4) d. No patient re-admitted within 30 days.

Da Vinci robot surgery system in assisting choledochal cyst resection is safe and reliable procedure, with advantages of minimal invasion, less intraoperative blood loss, and faster recovery. The surgeons can finish more precise movements comfortably.