The patient is Mr. M.V. T. (62 years old, from Thanh Hoa), admitted to the hospital due to prolonged swallowing choking. Endoscopy revealed a large necrotic ulcerated lesion occupying about half of the circumference of the lower esophageal segment. Biopsy results determined that the patient had esophageal squamous carcinoma.
The results of PET-CT and MRI showed that the tumor was large in size, widely invasive with a length of about 5 cm, a maximum thickness of 21 mm and had many metastatic lymph nodes in the mediastinum as well as the edge of the gastrostomy. The disease was identified in the local progression phase, so immediate surgery would be difficult and the risk of recurrence was high.
After a multi-specialized consultation, the patient was indicated for pre-operative chemotherapy to shrink the tumor and control metastatic lymph nodes before surgical intervention. A re-evaluation in June 2026 showed that the lesion responded well, the size narrowed significantly, creating favorable conditions for undergoing radical surgery.
The surgery completely removed cancer damage, thoroughly dissected lymph nodes and preserved important structures, especially the inverted nerves on both sides. The Da Vinci generation XI robot laparoscopic surgery to treat esophageal cancer was performed right at the opening ceremony of the Basic Robot Laparoscopic Surgery Training Course at K Hospital on July 2.
Prof. Dr. Le Van Quang, Director of K Hospital, said that robot laparoscopic surgery is becoming a trend of modern surgery thanks to its ability to intervene accurately, minimally invasively, helping to improve treatment efficiency and shorten recovery time for patients. To master this advanced technique, training a team of specialized surgeons plays a particularly important role.
K Hospital opens the basic robot endoscopic surgery training course lasting continuously for 30 days. Unlike previous short-term training courses, this program is comprehensively designed, focusing on robot surgery in the treatment of digestive, urinary, gynecological, head, neck and chest cancers.
Robotized laparoscopic surgery is a high development step of modern surgery, bringing many benefits to both surgeons and patients. The organization of training courses will contribute to improving professional capacity, helping the team of doctors gradually master new technologies, meeting the increasingly high requirements of cancer treatment," said Prof. Dr. Le Van Quang.
The organization of the training course not only contributes to improving the professional capacity of the team of surgeons but also creates a platform to expand the application of robot technology in cancer treatment in Vietnam. This continues to be a milestone affirming the pioneering role of K Hospital in training, technology transfer and application of modern surgical achievements to bring optimal treatment opportunities for patients.
