Study: No advantages to robotic-assisted nephrectomy

Editor's Note

Robotic-assisted nephrectomy is more expensive and takes longer than conventional laparoscopic nephrectomy and confers no additional benefits, this study finds.

The proportion of robotic-assisted nephrectomies increased from 1.5% in 2003 to 27% in 2015.

Of 23,753 patients analyzed, no significant differences were found in major postoperative complications between robotic-assisted and conventional nephrectomy (22.2% vs 23.4%).

However, robotic-assisted nephrectomies were linked to longer operating times, with 46.3% of robotic procedures lasting longer than 4 hours, compared to 28.2% of conventional procedures.

Additionally, robotic-assisted nephrectomies cost an average of $2,700 more than conventional nephrectomies. 

This cohort study uses commercially available health care improvement database data to compare trends in the use, outcomes, and costs of robotic-assisted vs laparoscopic nephrectomy in the United States between 2003 and 2015.

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