The clinical and financial impact of introducing robotic-assisted hysterectomy in a tertiary referral centre: A direct cost analysis of consecutive hysterectomies during a decade

Background: Economic data and the clinical impact of introducing robotic-assisted hysterectomy in a European setting are scarce with conflicting findings.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the cost and complication rate of the different approaches of hysterectomy are investigated, both benign and (pre)malignant indications were included.

Results: 844 patients were included: 323 (38.3%) patients underwent robotic-assisted hysterectomy (RAH), 317 (37.5%) total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH), and 204 (24.2%) total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). TAH dropped from 67.2% to 25.5% of procedures, whilst RAH rose to 41.8% of cases. The total hospitalisation cost was for RAH €5208.39 (±€916.91), for TAH €5846.61 (±€4464.37) and for TLH €3790.06 (±€1267.05). The postoperative complication rate of TAH (9.1%) was significantly higher in comparison with TLH and RAH (5.4% and 3.1%, respectively, p = 0.005).

Conclusions: RAH has replaced TAH in most cases, especially for large uteri, early-stage endometrial cancer and in selected endometriosis cases, resulting in reduced morbidity with lower hospitalisation costs. The indications for TLH remained, including menorrhagia, adenomyosis and persistent cervical dysplasia.