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Endoscopy
DOI: 10.1055/a-2797-9550
Innovations and brief communications

Robot-Assisted Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: A Pilot Study

Authors

  • Xuanhua Chen

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
    4   Department of Gastroenterology, The Fourth School of Clinical Medicine, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China

  • Zhijie Wang 

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Hao Wu

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Qifeng Lou

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Weigang Gu 

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Wencong Ma

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Jian-Feng Yang

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Hang-bin Jin

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

  • Xiaofeng Zhang

    1   Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China
    2   Department of Gastroenterology, Hangzhou Institute of Digestive Diseases, Hangzhou, China
    3   Department of Gastroenterology, Key Laboratory of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine for Biliary and Pancreatic Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China

Supported by: Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province No.2023C03054,No.2024C03048
Supported by: Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China No. LQN25H030008
Supported by: The Construction Fund of Key Medical Disciplines of Hangzhou 2025HZGF05

Clinical Trial:

Registration number (trial ID): ChiCTR2500100615, Trial registry: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (http://www.chictr.org/), Type of Study: Prospective, Single-center, Pilot trial


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Background The development of the robotic endoscopic system “Qifengda” aims to assist in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), enabling endoscopists to reduce occupational radiation exposure without cumbersome protective gear. This is a pilot trial to evaluate the procedural feasibility and clinical potential of this robotic system. Methods Patients were prospectively recruited in a single tertiary hospital. The primary endpoints were the technical and clinical success rates. The secondary endpoints included ERCP-related complications, convenience and stability of the robotic system, procedure time, postoperative hospital stay, and hospitalization cost. Results All 13 patients who underwent robot-assisted ERCP achieved technical success, with a median procedure time of 38 minutes (range, 6–93). The preoperative therapeutic goal was achieved in 12 patients. The median postoperative hospital stay was 3 days (range 1–8). Postoperatively, one patient developed mild pancreatitis and another patient developed moderate cholangitis. Operators reported satisfaction with the system’s convenience in 12 of 13 procedures, and with its stability in all 13 procedures. Conclusion Despite the need for cautious interpretation in this limited cohort, our initial outcomes support the procedural feasibility of the robotic system and hint at its potential to assist in ERCP, but must be confirmed in larger studies.



Publication History

Received: 19 August 2025

Accepted after revision: 26 January 2026

Accepted Manuscript online:
27 January 2026

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