A comparison of robot assisted and abdominal radical hysterectomy (RH) for early stage cervical and endometrial cancer

Lee, Young Lan; Chang, Kylie Hae-jin; Lee, Hye Ran; Kwon, Dam Hye; Yoon, Kyung Ran; Park, Young Han; Kim, Hong Bae; Park, Sung Ho

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To compare perioperative outcome of robot-assisted radical hysterectomy with abdominal radical hysterectomy for early-stage cervical cancer and endometrial cancer and to evaluate the feasibility of robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy.
METHODS
We reviewed medical record of 37 patients who had radical hysterectomy at Hallym university for cervical cancer stage Ia1 to IIa and endometrial cancer stage Ia to Ib. Abdominal radical hysterectomy was carried out in 27 (Abdominal group) patients and robot-assisted radical hysterectomy carried out in 10 patients (Robotic group). We compared patient's characteristics between two groups. Perioperative characteristics compared included cancer stage, operative time, number of nodes, estimated blood loss, length of hospital stay and complications.
RESULTS
There were no differences in age, parity, history of medical disease, body mass index between two groups (p>0.05). Robotic operative times were significantly longer than for abdominal (480.0+/-117.8 vs. 286.9+/-65.6 min, p<0.0001). Blood loss (660.0+/-245.9 vs. 1,137.0+/-608.4 mL. p<0.0001) and length of hospital stay (7.2 versus 17.1 days, p<0.0001) were significantly lower for the robotic group. Lymph node yield in the robotic group was equivalent to that for the abdominal group (30.1+/-8.7 vs. 35.4+/-16.9, p=0.356). No major operative complications occurred with both groups.
CONCLUSION
Robot-assisted radical hysterectomy appears safe and feasible in early-stage cervical and endometrial cancer.