Same Day Discharge After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

This review evaluates the current landscape of same-day discharge (SDD) following robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RARP), highlighting perioperative management strategies and proposing future research directions.

RARP has been shown to improve perioperative outcomes including reduced blood loss, postoperative pain, and hospital length of stay (LOS) when compared to open radical prostatectomy. Recently, the question of the feasibility of SDD for RARP has been proposed, aiming to reduce postoperative complications, hospital-acquired infections, and healthcare costs. The advent of single-port robotic systems aims to further minimize postoperative morbidity. Recent literature has reported SDD for RARP is safe and feasible in appropriately selected patients, with postoperative outcomes, including complication and readmission rates, similar to inpatient RARP. Our findings show SDD can be safely implemented without compromising patient outcomes, as evidenced by similar complication, readmission, and emergency department visit rates compared to inpatient cohorts. Future research should be aimed to refining patient selection criteria, enhancing opioid-free anesthesia pathways, and exploring new surgical technologies to improve SDD outcomes.