COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF ROBOT-ASSISTED AND CONVENTIONAL UROLOGY SURGERIES IN INDIA

There is dearth of evidence on patients' perspective, their knowledge and understanding about robot-assisted surgeries, especially in Low-and Middle-Income countries such as India.The aim of this prospective study was to analyze inpatients' and surgeon's perspectives towards robot-assisted and conventional urological surgeries.A total of 136 patients (94 robotassisted surgery cases and 42 conventional surgery cases) were enrolled in the study.A performa (with details such as sociodemographic details of patient, patient's view point on surgery opted and doctor's perspective on advising robotassisted or conventional surgery) was used for data collection.Of 136 patients, 135 (99.3%) responded that their reason for opting the surgery (either robot-assisted or open laparoscopy) depended on the advice provided by the surgeon.78 (83.3%) patients mentioned they opted for robot-assisted surgeries because of aesthetics (cosmetically better) in comparison to 07 (16.7%) patients who opted for conventional surgeries.Only 1.1% of surgeons reported robot-assisted surgeries to be technically easy.A few surgeons (1.1%) who operated with robot-assisted surgeries mentioned it to be time-consuming than 71.4% ( 30) surgeons in open/lap group.All the surgeons who treated patients with robot-assisted surgeries mentioned to have no of complications in comparison to 35.75% surgeons in open/lap group.The reason for choosing robot-assisted surgeries among both patients and surgeons were patient's compatibility, cosmetically better, less-time consuming and less hospital stay.In addition, the surgeons also believed the robot-assisted surgeries to have fewer complications for their patients and therefore, recommended it.