Total Laparoscopic (S-LPS) versus TELELAP ALF-X Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy: A Case-Control Study

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the feasibility and safety of the TELELAP ALF-X system and standard laparoscopy for total hysterectomy to treat patients with benign and early malignant gynecologic disease. DESIGN: Single-institution retrospective case-control study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). SETTING: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. PATIENTS: Between October 2013 and May 2015, 203 women underwent TELELAP-ALF X (group 1) or standard laparoscopic (group 2) total hysterectomy and were enrolled. INTERVENTIONS: Total standard laparoscopy vs TELELAP ALF-X robot-assisted hysterectomy for benign and early malignant gynecologic disease. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In group 1, the median age was 55 years (range, 40-79 years), median body mass index (BMI) was 25 kg/m(2) (range, 17-38 kg/m(2)), and 51 patients (58%) had undergone previous abdominal surgery. In the control group, the median age was 55 years (range, 34-90 years), median BMI was 25 kg/m(2) (range, 17-41 kg/m(2)), and 31 patients (27%) had previous abdominal surgery. The median operative time was 147 minutes (range, 58-320 minutes) in group 1 and 80 minutes (range, 22-300 minutes) in group 2 (p = .055). The median estimated blood loss was 57 mL (range, 0-600 mL) in group 1 and 99 mL (range, 0-400 mL) in group 2, with no significant differences between the 2 groups (p = .963). Procedures were successfully performed without conversion in 94.3% of cases in the group 1 and in all cases in group 2. Early postoperative pain was significantly lower in group 2. CONCLUSION: TELELAP ALF-X hysterectomy in patients with benign and early malignant gynecologic disease is feasible and safe, and can be considered a valid option for these patients.