Robot-assisted laparoscopic ureteral reimplantation: a single surgeon comparison to open surgery.
OBJECTIVE
The aim was to report a single surgeon's experience comparing open and robot-assisted laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation (RALUR) to treat vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of RALUR and open extravesical ureteral reimplantations consecutively performed by a single surgeon between January 2008 and December 2010 using the da Vinci(®) Surgical System. Both groups of patients were subjected to identical pre- and postoperative care protocols.


RESULTS
During the defined study interval, 20 open and 20 RALUR procedures were completed by a single surgeon at our institution. Gender and VUR grade were similar in both cohorts. Operative times were longer in the RALUR group, but postoperative opioid use (morphine equivalents) was significantly lower in the RALUR group (RALUR: 0.14 mg/kg, open: 0.25 mg/kg, p = 0.021). There was no significant difference in estimated blood loss (EBL) or length of hospitalization (LOH). The overall rate of surgical complications was similar; however, the complications in the open group tended to be less severe than those occurring in the RALUR group. On follow-up, after a median of 52 months for open surgery and 39 months for RALUR, two children had developed a febrile urinary tract infection in both groups, of which one in the open group had persistent VUR.


CONCLUSIONS
This single-surgeon experience of open and initial experience with RALUR performed with the same surgical technique on consecutive cohorts with identical post-surgical care protocol allows a comparative analysis of outcomes for a surgeon transitioning to RALUR. The RALUR reduces postoperative analgesic requirements while yielding similar clinical outcomes as the open technique.
Section of Pediatric Urology, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
John L
JL
Schomburg
Section of Pediatric Urology, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Ken
K
Haberman
Section of Pediatric Urology, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Katie H
KH
Willihnganz-Lawson
Section of Pediatric Urology, University of Minnesota Amplatz Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN, USA. Electronic address: shuklaa@email.chop.edu.
Aseem R
AR
Shukla
D000367:Age Factors; D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D061646:Operative Time; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012092:Replantation / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014513:Ureter / Q000601:surgery*; D014718:Vesico-Ureteral Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*
D000700:Analgesics
Robot-assisted laparoscopy; Ureteral reimplantation; Vesicoureteral reflux