Outcomes For Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy Similar To Conventional Laparoscopy, Study Finds

Two methods of performing a minimally invasive hysterectomy -- either by a surgeon alone or with assistance of robotic equipment -- produced similar, positive outcomes in women with endometrial cancer, according to a study in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, Reuters reports. The study's authors said both methods proved superior to the traditional open procedure, which involves a relatively large abdominal incision.

More than 40,000 women are diagnosed with endometrial cancer in the U.S. every year. Treatment usually involves a hysterectomy -- the surgical removal of the uterus -- and often the removal of lymph nodes to determine the stage of the cancer.

The conventional minimally invasive procedure is performed through laparoscopy, using a small incision and a video camera, but it requires intensive training on the part of the surgeon. The robot, though adding a few thousand dollars to the procedure's price, provides better vision, improves range of motion and uses more intuitive movements.

The study found that both minimally invasive techniques resulted in longer operations but shorter hospital stays, compared with the open procedure. The robotic surgery caused about half as much blood loss as the standard laparoscopy. There were no differences in complications among the three techniques.

"Robotics increases the chance that a hysterectomy can be done by laparoscopy," Tommaso Falcone of the Cleveland Clinic said. "However, if the surgeon is skilled enough to do the hysterectomy without the robot by laparoscopy, then the outcomes will be similar," he said (Peeples, Reuters, 11/29).


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