Fluorescence image-guided lymphadenectomy using indocyanine green and near infrared technology in robotic gastrectomy
In recent years, some researchers have tried to find a way to improve the surgical identification of the lymphatic
drainage routes and lymph node stations during radical gastrectomy, thus starting a new research frontier in this
field called “navigation surgery”. Among the different reported solutions, the introduction of the indocyanine green
(ICG) has drawn attention for its characteristics, a fluorescence dye that can be detected in the near infrared
spectral band (NIR). A fluorescence imaging technology has been integrated in the latest version of the Da Vinci
robotic system and surgeons have extensively reported their experiences in colorectal and hepato-biliary surgery for
tumors, vascular and lymphatic structures visualization. However, up to date, the combined use of fluorescence
imaging and robotic technology has not been adequately investigated during lymphadenectomy in gastric cancer.