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A single-centre case-control study comparing readmission rates for robotic and traditional tonsillectomy
William Wakeford1, Devanshu Kwatra2, Panagiotis Dimitriadis2
1Department of ENT, Lister Hospital, East and North Herts NHS Trust, Stevenage, UK. William.wakeford5@nhs.net.
Journal of Robotic Surgery
|July 25, 2025
Summary
Robotic tonsillectomy shows a trend toward lower readmission and bleeding rates compared to traditional methods, particularly in women. While operating time is slightly longer, robotic surgery offers potential training benefits despite higher initial costs.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Robotic Surgery
Background:
- Limited data exists on robotic palatine tonsillectomy for benign tonsil disease.
- Existing research on Trans-Oral Robotic Surgery (TORS) focuses on cancer and sleep apnoea.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare robotic tonsillectomy with traditional tonsillectomy for benign tonsil disease.
- To evaluate differences in procedure duration, readmission, bleeding, and return-to-theatre rates.
Main Methods:
- A single-centre, case-control study involving adult patients (>16 years).
- Comparison of robotic tonsillectomies (n=60) and traditional tonsillectomies (n=365) between 2021-2024.
Main Results:
- Robotic tonsillectomy demonstrated a trend towards lower readmission (10.0% vs. 16.6%) and secondary hemorrhage (6.7% vs. 13.4%).
- These trends were statistically significant only in women and lessened when only consultant surgeons were considered.
- Mean operating time was 7 minutes longer for robotic procedures (41 vs. 34 min).
- Robotic tonsillectomy incurred a considerably higher cost per case.
Conclusions:
- Robotic tonsillectomy may offer reduced readmission and bleeding rates for benign tonsil disease, especially in female patients.
- The increased operating time has minimal impact on surgical list capacity.
- Higher costs need to be balanced against potential benefits like surgeon training and reduced complications, pending further research.
