Robotic Surgery Reduces Blood Loss Risk in Obese Patients

Researchers at the Loyola University Health System (Chicago, IL, ISA) identified 9,108 obese patients from the 2009-2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) who underwent radical prostatectomy. Of these, 60.4% underwent RARP, and 39.6% underwent open radical prostatectomy (ORP). The primary outcome was the presence of peri-operative adverse events, such as surgical complications, blood transfusion, and prolonged length of stay.

The results showed that when compared with patients who underwent ORP, patients undergoing RARP were 83% less likely to require blood transfusions, and 72% less likely to require prolonged hospital stays. RARP did not, however, reduce the risk of infections, and both approaches were associated with similar odds of developing a complication. The study was published in the May 2016 issue of Current Urology.


“For urologists, the finding that robotic and open surgery have similar complication rates implies that both techniques remain interchangeable. The surgeon's comfort level should dictate which surgical approach is used,” concluded lead author Gopal Gupta, MD, an assistant professor in the department of urology. “For obese prostate cancer patients, the broad findings suggest that both surgical approaches are feasible and safe.”

RARP uses the Intuitive Surgical (Sunnyvale, CA, USA) da Vinci minimally invasive surgery system. The advantages of RARP include improved cosmetic result, less blood loss, briefer and less intense post-operative convalescence, and reduced hospitalization costs. It is also the basis of a "nerve-sparing" procedure called the Veil of Aphrodite, developed to minimize the erectile dysfunction common in men after undergoing traditional radical prostatectomy.

Related Links:
Loyola University Health System
Intuitive Surgical