Children Following Robot-assisted Roux-en-Y Hepaticojejunostomy for Choledochal Cysts

Choledochal cyst is a common congenital biliary malformation in children requiring cyst excision with Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. Traditional practice routinely places abdominal drainage tubes postoperatively. With the improved precision of robot-assisted surgery, the necessity of routine drainage has been questioned. This prospective randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether a selective drainage strategy based on a preoperative predictive model (using cyst diameter, age, BMI, hemoglobin, and globulin) is safe and effective compared with conventional routine drainage in children undergoing robot-assisted Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy. The primary outcome is the incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III complications within 30 days postoperatively.