Day-case robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery: Feasibility and safety

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Surgical services are increasingly shifting towards outpatient and daycare settings.
• Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) combined with enhanced recovery protocols offers potential for day-case (DC) procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and safety of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries (RALS) performed as day-case (DC) procedures.
• To evaluate the outcomes of DC RALS within an enhanced recovery pathway.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving 43 patients undergoing DC RALS by a single surgeon over 18 months.
• Procedures included nephrectomies, lymphadenectomy, adrenalectomy, pyeloplasty, ureteroureterostomy, and bladder diverticulectomy with ureteric re-implantation.
• Data collected on demographics, comorbidities, intraoperative outcomes, complications, length of stay, and readmission rates.

Main Results:

• 100% of patients were successfully discharged on the same day.
• No major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade > I) were reported.
• Readmission rates were 0%.

Conclusions:

• Day-case robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries (DC RALS) are safe and feasible when implemented with an enhanced recovery protocol.
• DC RALS demonstrate potential to surpass current minimally invasive techniques and may become a future standard of care.