Magnetic resonance or computerized tomography imaging to predict difficulty of robotic surgery for endometrial cancer

To determine if the difficulty of a robotic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer can be predicted by MRI, CT or other methods. All robotic cases from 1 August 2006 through 30 July 2009 were identified. Data collected prospectively included co-morbidities, body mass index, surgical times, estimated blood loss (EBL), uterine weight, and pre- and postoperative complications. Those patients who received an MRI or CT scan prior to robotic hysterectomy had additional data gathered from imaging, including uterine volume, pelvic measurements and abdominal wall thickness. Cases were labeled difficult for the following reasons: outliers greater than 2 SD from the mean EBL, hysterectomy time and total console time. Additional factors identifying difficult cases included the need to undock to remove the specimen or conversion to laparotomy. Data were analyzed for their possible role in causing difficulty in a robotic hysterectomy. Comparative statistics utilized included chi-square and t-test, ANOVA and logistic regression analysis.From 2 August 2006 through 30 July 2009, 119 patients underwent robotic surgery for endometrial cancer and are included in this study. Of these patients, 25/119 (20.0%) were identified as difficult cases. Difficulty was found in those patients with greater than 2 SD from the mean for hysterectomy time, >90.9 min (n = 3, 2.5%), total console time of >178.1 min (n = 6, 5.0%), EBL >232 cc (n = 7, 5.9%) and undocking to remove the uterine specimen in 8 (6.7%) cases; 1/119 (0.8%) was converted to laparotomy. Lymphadenectomy (P = 0.005) was associated with case difficulty. In a logistic regression analysis CT/MRI measurements of uterine volume greater than 793 cm³ and CT/MRI pelvimetry, as well as abdominal wall thickness were independent predictors of a difficult case (P = 0.0116). MRI and CT scans can detect the probability that a robotic surgery will be difficult by determining uterine volume and pelvimetry; however, these were not the strongest predictors in our study. A narrow pelvic outlet as measured on CT/MRI and uterine volume of greater than 793 cc should raise a flag of caution when planning robotic hysterectomy for endometrial cancer.