Does single-site robotic surgery makes sense for gallbladder surgery?

Cholecystectomy is one of the most performed surgeries. Several techniques were created, generating less pain, better aesthetic results and faster return to activities. Robotic surgery through a single portal combined the advantages of single-incision surgery with the principles of conventional laparoscopy, making it a safe and feasible procedure. However, due to the high costs, this technology is hardly available in practice, especially in the public health system. The objective is to evaluate the safety of robotic cholecystectomy using the da Vinci Single-Site © Surgical Platform (DVSSP) in a tertiary public hospital, and to assess alternatives that can reduce the costs, influencing the final real value of the procedure.

Prospective and descriptive study evaluating robotic cholecystectomies using the DVSSP technology performed at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre from May 2017 to November 2018.

A total of 37 cholecystectomies were performed. The average time of surgery was 82.62 min, and no intraoperative complications were observed. There was a need for conversion to conventional laparoscopy in two surgeries (5.4%). The average cost of the robotic procedure was U$ 1146.23 and the amount passed on to the institution by the Brazilian Unified Health System was on average U$ 212.59 (p < 0.05). Postoperative outcomes were satisfactory, with an incisional hernia index of 8.1%.

Although robotic surgery in this setting is a safe and feasible alternative, the high cost of the procedure prevents its dissemination on a large scale. New alternatives are needed to reduce the value and to allow greater accessibility.