Perioperative Outcomes of Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomy Compared With Open Hysterectomy.

BACKGROUND: Increasing numbers of robotic hysterectomies (RH) are being performed. To provide ventilation (with pneumoperitoneum and steep Trendelenburg position) for these procedures, utilization of lung protective strategies with limiting airway pressures and tidal volumes is difficult. Little is known about the effects of intraoperative mechanical ventilation and high peak airway pressures on perioperative complications. We performed a retrospective review to determine whether patients undergoing RH had increased pulmonary complications compared to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). METHODS: We performed a single center retrospective review comparing the intraoperative, anesthetic, and immediate and 30-day postoperative course of patients undergoing RH to TAH, including intraoperative ventilatory parameters and respiratory complications. Patients undergoing TAH (201) from 2004 to 2006 were compared to RH (251) from 2009 to 2012. It was our hypothesis that patients undergoing RH would have increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. A secondary hypothesis was that morbid obesity predicts pulmonary complications in patients undergoing RH. Complications were compared between groups using Fisher's exact test. To account for potential confounders, the primary analysis was performed for a subgroup of patients matched on the propensity for RH. RESULTS: A total of 351 RH and 201 TAH procedures are included. Higher inspiratory pressures were required in ventilation of the RH group (median [25th, 75th] 31 [26, 36] cm H2O) than the TAH group (23 [19, 27] cm H2O) (P

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