Short-term health outcome differences between robotic and conventional radical prostatectomy.
OBJECTIVE
To prospectively compare the relevant in-hospital and postdischarge short-term health outcomes in a contemporary group of patients undergoing either robotic or conventional radical prostatectomy.


METHODS
A total of 117 robotic and 89 conventional radical prostatectomy patients participated in a prospective study evaluating short-term postoperative recovery. A validated short-term health outcomes questionnaire was self-administered at 2 and 6 weeks postoperatively. All patients were given the same preoperative and postoperative instructions.


RESULTS
The significant differences in short-term health outcome measures between the two groups were that robotic patients had less mean narcotic use during the first 24 hours of admission (32 versus 52 mg morphine sulfate equivalents, P = 0.001) and a shorter mean length of hospital stay (1.2 versus 1.3 days, P = 0.048). No difference was found between the robotic and conventional radical prostatectomy groups regarding the median time to normal activity, 100% activity, and time to driving (9 and 8, 21 and 28, and 13 and 14 days, respectively). No difference was found in the postdischarge pain levels at 2 and 6 weeks, as reflected in the equivalent time of narcotic use between the two groups (10.6 and 9 days for the robotic and conventional radical prostatectomy groups, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this prospective study have shown that both robotic and conventional radical prostatectomy provide comparable short-term postdischarge recovery, including time to normal and full activity, driving, and postdischarge narcotic use.
Wood
David P
DP
Department of Urology, Michigan Urology Center, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0330, USA. davwood@umich.edu
Schulte
Ryan
R
Dunn
Rodney L
RL
Hollenbeck
Brent K
BK
Saur
Richard
R
Wolf
J Stuart
JS
Montie
James E
JE
D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012371:Robotics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome