Pilot study assessing robotic laparoscopic hysterectomy and patient outcomes

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To examine the operative variables and complications associated with robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy. DESIGN: Canadian Task Force classification II-1. SETTING: Gynecology service affiliated with a major cancer center in Southern California. PATIENTS: Twenty women with a benign gynecologic condition. INTERVENTION: Robotic-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy. Patient status was evaluated in terms of operative morbidity, length of surgery, anesthesia time, estimated blood loss, and hospital stay. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Mean operative time was 3.2 hours, and anesthesia time was 4 hours. Mean estimated blood loss was 81 mL, and patient postoperative hospital stay was 2 days. The complication rate in this study was low. The surgical procedure was converted to a laparotomy and abdominal hysterectomy in two patients because of poor visualization during robotic-assisted surgery. CONCLUSIONS: While the number of patients and nonrandomized nature of this single-institution experience are insufficient to draw any definitive conclusions regarding potential treatment efficacy, the patient postoperative stay and low complication rates suggest that this procedure is feasible and promising. Additional study comparing the efficacy and cost of robotic laparoscopic hysterectomy with standard laparoscopic hysterectomy with a larger patient population is warranted. (C) 2006 AAGL. All rights reserved.