Robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) is gaining increasing popularity as an operative approach. Learning curves to achieve surgical competency in robotic-assisted techniques have shown significant variation in learning curve lengths and outcomes.

The aim of this study was to summarize the current literature on learning curves for RAMIE. A systematic review was conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. Electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library were searched, and articles reporting on learning curves in RAMIE were identified and scrutinized. Studies were eligible if they reported changes in operative outcomes over time, or learning curves, for surgeons newly adopting RAMIE. Fifteen studies reporting on 1767 patients were included.

Learning curves were most commonly analyzed using cumulative sum control chart (CUSUM) and were typically reported for lymph node yields and operative times, with significant variation in learning curve lengths (18–73 cases and 20–80 cases, respectively).

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