The following is a summary of “Comparison of the effectiveness of open, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted radical prostatectomies based on complication rates: a retrospective observational study with administrative data from Switzerland,” published in the October 2024 issue of Urology by Ahlen et al. 

Radical prostatectomy, a surgical procedure for prostate cancer, can be performed using open retropubic, laparoscopic, or robotic-assisted laparoscopic techniques, with literature indicating that inpatient complications vary based on the surgical approach. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compare complication rates in radical prostatectomies. 

They utilized Swiss Medical Statistics data from 2016 to 2018, focusing on a national survey of administrative data from all Swiss hospitals. They included cases with prostate neoplasm (ICD C61) that underwent laparoscopic (CHOP 60.5X.20) or retropubic (CHOP 60.5X.30) radical prostatectomies, yielding a total sample size of 8,593 cases. 

The results showed that a procedure-related complication occurred in 998 cases (11.6%). Complication rates were 10.1% for robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, 9.0% for conventional laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, and 17.1% for open retropubic radical prostatectomy (P<0.001). Conventional and robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomies had a significantly lower risk of complications than retropubic procedures. The risk of a procedure-related complication was almost twice as high in retropubic cases; however, no significant difference was found between conventional and robotic-assisted laparoscopic cases. 

Investigators concluded that surgical robots offered no advantages in procedure-related outcomes during hospital stays, though laparoscopic techniques yielded better results than open retropubic procedures, indicating a need for further long-term research. 

Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-024-01597-3#Abs1