Mean robotic hysterectomy time 129 minutes, few complications.(Gynecologic Surgery)

TUCSON, ARIZ. -- A retrospective study of 91 robotic hysterectomies performed at the Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix determined that the new approach results in "acceptable operating times and surgical outcomes."

Dr. Rosanne Kho reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons that the total operating time from excision to closure was a mean 129 minutes for robotic procedures performed between March 2004 and December 2005.

Subjects in the series underwent simple hysterectomy with or without unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Some cases included appendectomy and/or lysis of adhesions.

The average age of patients was 50 years. The body mass index (BMI) of subjects ranged from 18 to 49 kg/m2, with a mean BMI of 28. The most common indications for surgery were menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, or ovarian neoplasm. Neoplasms in all but three cases proved to be benign.

The mean time required to dock the da Vinci robot was 2.9 minutes, with a range of 1-9 minutes. Docking time declined over time as surgeons and nurses became more familiar with the process, said Dr. Kho.

Surgeons spent a mean of 73 minutes at the console actually performing the surgery once the robotic arms holding surgical instruments were in place.

The mean uterine weight was 135 g, estimated blood loss was 79 cc, and length of stay was 1.3 days.