Hugo™ RAS for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: outcomes from a consecutive single-center study at a...

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Surgical Technology
• Robotics in Medicine

Background:

• Early reports on the Hugo™ Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system may have selection bias due to concurrent access to other robotic platforms.
• Evaluating the Hugo™ RAS system in a setting without alternative robotic options is crucial for unbiased assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the perioperative performance, safety, and procedural consistency of the Hugo™ RAS system for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).
• To assess the Hugo™ RAS system's efficacy in a Japanese municipal hospital with no prior robotic platform experience.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective assessment of 103 patients with localized prostate cancer undergoing RARP using the Hugo™ RAS system.
• Standardized surgical setup including W-shaped port configuration and floor-marking-based docking.
• Analysis of operative, console, and docking times, blood loss, complications, surgical margins, and continence rates.

Main Results:

• Median operative time was 152 min, console time 108 min, and docking time 5 min.
• Estimated blood loss was 100 mL, with no intraoperative transfusions or conversions to open surgery.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 3.9% of patients; 34.0% had positive surgical margins, and 79.6% achieved 3-month urinary continence.

Conclusions:

• The Hugo™ RAS system can be used safely and effectively for RARP in a single-platform environment, even with surgeons of varying experience levels.
• Standardized protocols, such as floor-marking for docking, may facilitate efficient setup and use of the multi-port robotic system.