Which method of pancreatic surgery do medical consumers prefer among open, laparoscopic, or robotic surgery? A survey

The consumers' preferences are not considered in developing or implementing new medical technologies. Furthermore, little efforts are made to investigate their demands. Therefore, their preferred surgical method and the factors affecting that preference were investigated in pancreatic surgery.

Six-hundred subjects including 100 medical personnel (MP) and 500 lay persons (LP) were surveyed. Questionnaire included basic information on different methods of distal pancreatectomy; open surgery (OS), laparoscopic surgery (LS), and robotic surgery (RS). Assuming they required the operation, participants were told to indicate their preferred method along with a reason and an acceptable cost for both benign and malignant conditions.

For benign disease, the most preferred method was LS. Limiting the choice to LS and RS, LS was preferred for cost and well-established safety and efficacy. OS was favored in malignant disease for the concern for radicality. Limiting the choice to LS and RS, LS was favored for its better-established safety and efficacy. The majority thought that LS and RS were both overpriced. Comparing MP and LP responses, both groups preferred LS in benign and OS in malignant conditions. However, LP more than MP tended to prefer RS under both benign and malignant conditions. LP thought that LS was expensive whereas MP thought the cost reasonable. Both groups felt that RS was too expensive.

Though efforts for development of novel techniques and broadening indication should be encouraged, still more investments and research should focus on LS and OS to provide optimal management and satisfaction to the patients.