Table 2.

Key randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence base comparing minimally invasive oesophagectomy (MIO), a hybrid approach, and robot-assisted minimally invasive oesophagectomy (RAMIE) with open transthoracic surgery.

Trial	Comparison	Arm A	Arm B	P	Other comments
MIRO [15] N = 207	Arm A: open TTO Arm B: Hybrid 2 resection	64% major complications 30% pulmonary complications	36% major complications 18% pulmonary complications	<0.001	Trends towards improved survival with hybrid approach, 3-year survival 67% hybrid versus 55% open, NS
TIME [102] N = 115	Arm A: MIO Arm B: open TTO	34% pulmonary infection (at 30 d)	9% pulmonary infection (at 30 d)	0.005	3-year survival 51.5% MIO versus 40.4% open (P = 0.02)
ROBOT [16, 108] N = 112	Arm A: open TTO Arm B: RAMIE	80% overall complications	59% overall complications	P = 0.02	Reduced blood loss (P < 0.001) and pulmonary complications (P = 0.005), and improved functional recovery (P = 0.03) with RAMIE. 5-year survival 41% RAMIE, 40% open, NS

NS   non-significant, TTO transthoracic oesophagectomy.