Cost analysis of new robotic competitors: a comparison of direct costs for initial hospital stay between Da Vinci and Hugo RAS for radical prostatectomy.

Robotic surgery with Da Vinci has revolutionized the treatment of several diseases, including prostate cancer; nevertheless, costs remain the major drawback. Recently, new robotic platforms entered the market aiming to reduce costs and improve the access to robotic surgery. The aim of the study is to compare direct cost for initial hospital stay of radical prostatectomy performed with two different robotic systems, the Da Vinci and the new Hugo RAS system. This is a projection study that applies cost of robotic surgery, derived from a local tender, to the clinical course of robotic radical prostatectomy (RALP) performed with Da Vinci and Hugo RAS. The study was performed in a public referral center for robotic surgery equipped with both systems. The cost of robotic surgery from a local tender were considered and included rent, annual maintenance, and a per-procedure fee covering the setup of four robotic instruments. Those costs were applied to patients who underwent RALP with both systems since November 2022. The primary endpoint is to evaluate direct costs of initial hospital stay for Da Vinci and Hugo RAS, by considering equipment costs (as derived from the tender), and costs of theater and of hospitalization. The direct per-procedure cost is €2,246.31 for a Da Vinci procedure and €1995 for a Hugo RALP. In the local setting, Hugo RAS provides 11% of cost saving for RALP. By applying this per-procedure cost to our clinical data, the expenditure for the entire index hospitalization is € 6.7755,1 for Da Vinci and € 6.637,15 for Hugo RALP. The new Hugo RAS system is willing to reduce direct expenditures of robotic surgery for RALP; furthermore, it provides similar peri-operative outcomes compared to the Da Vinci. However, other drivers of costs should be taken into account, such as the duration of OR use-that is more than just console time and may depend on the facility's background and organization. Further variations in direct costs of robotic systems are related to caseload, local agreements and negotiations. Thus, cost comparison of new robotic platform still remains an ongoing issue.

Does additional coronary artery bypass grafting to aortic valve replacement in elderly patients affect the early and long-term outcome?

Early and long-term outcomes in elderly patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement (iAVR) are well defined. Conflicting data exist in elderly patients who underwent AVR plus coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We sought to evaluate the early and long-term outcomes of combined AVR + CABG in patients older than 75 years of age. From June 1999 to June 2018, 402 patients ≥ 75 years who underwent iAVR (n = 200; 49.7%) or combined AVR plus CABG (n = 202; 50.3%) were retrospectively analysed. AVR + CABG patients were older than iAVR patients (78.5 ± 2.5 vs 77.6 ± 2.8 years; p < 0.0001), with greater co-morbidities and more urgent/emergency surgery. 30-day mortality was 6.5% in the AVR + CABG and 4.5% in the iAVR group (p = 0.38). Multivariate analysis identified EuroSCORE II [odd ratio (OR) 1.13] postoperative stroke (OR 12.53), postoperative low cardiac output syndrome (OR 8.72) and postoperative mechanical ventilation > 48 h (OR 8.92) as independent predictors of 30-day mortality; preoperative cerebrovascular events (OR 3.43), creatinine (OR 7.27) and extracorporeal circulation time (OR 1.01) were independent predictors of in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular and cerebral events (MACCE). Treatment was not an independent predictor of 30-day mortality and in-hospital MACCE. Survival at 1, 5 and 10 years was 94.7 ± 1.6%, 72.6 ± 3.6% and 31.7 ± 4.8% for iAVR patients and 89.1 ± 2.3%, 73.9 ± 3.5% and 37.2 ± 4.8% for AVR + CABG subjects (p = 0.99). Using adjusted Cox regression model, creatinine [hazard ration (HR) 1.50; p = 0.018], COPD (HR 1.97; p = 0.003) and NYHA class (HR 1.39; p < 0.0001) were independent predictors of late mortality; the combined AVR + CABG was not associated with increased risk of late mortality (HR 0.83; p = 0.30). In patients aged ≥ 75 years, combined AVR + CABG was not associated with increased 30-day mortality, in-hospital MACCE and long-term mortality. Surgical revascularization can be safely undertaken at the time of AVR in elderly patients.

The impact of the radial artery or the saphenous vein in addition to the bilateral internal mammary arteries on late survival: A propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: Long-term survival benefits of full arterial revascularization with radial artery (RA) used in addition to bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMA) compared with saphenous vein (SV) used in addition to BIMA has not been clearly defined. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 660 3-vessel coronary artery disease subjects who received BIMA in addition to either RA (n = 206) or SV (n = 454) grafting in a period between June 1999 and November 2017. After propensity score matching, we obtained 190 matched pairs for analysis. RESULTS: In the matched population, in-hospital mortality occurred in 4 patients (1%), with 2 deaths (1.1%) in the BIMA + RA group and 2 deaths (1.1%) in BIMA + SV group (P > .99). The median follow-up time was 9.2 years (interquartile range, 5.6-13 years) with a maximum follow-up time of 18.5 years. There was not a significant difference in long-term survival between the 2 groups over the follow-up period. Survival at 5, 10, and 15 years were 94.8 ± 1.7%, 83.7 ± 3.1%, and 78.6 ± 3.9% in the BIMA + RA group and 96.2 ± 1.4%, 85.1 ± 2.9%, and 80.4 ± 3.6% in the BIMA + SV group (stratified log-rank P = .78). Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate that the use of RA in addition to BIMA did not affect the late mortality (propensity score adjusted hazard ratio, 1.05; 95% confidence interval, 0.62-1.79; P = .83). CONCLUSIONS: In a relatively small population of triple-vessel coronary artery disease, the use of RA as a third arterial conduit with BIMA did not confer a long-term survival benefit.

Incidence of perioperative stroke in clampless aortic anastomosis during off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

This study aimed to assess if clampless off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) decreases the incidence of perioperative stroke (POS) rate and in-hospital mortality. The secondary aim was to evaluate 12-year rates of overall mortality. Between January 2003 to December 2015, data of 645 consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG were retrospectively collected. 363 underwent aortic no-touch OPCAB (No-touch group) and 282 underwent OPCAB with the Heartstring device (HS group). In-hospital mortality and perioperative stroke rate as primary endpoint, as well as long-term follow-up outcome were analysed. In-hospital mortality was lower into No-touch group compared with HS group but without significant statistical difference (1.7 vs. 3.2%, p = 0.19, respectively); the rate of postoperative stroke was higher in No-touch group compared with HS group, although this difference did not reach statistically significance. Delirium was reported with higher presentation rate in HS group (3.9 vs. 0.8%, p = 0.01). Blood transfusions rate was higher in HS subjects (23.4 vs. 16.1%, p = 0.01). Intubation time, ICU, and hospital length of stay were increased in the HS group (p = 0.008, p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). Over a 12-year follow-up period, survival probabilities at 1, 5, and 10 years were 93.6 ± 1.3 vs. 93.2 ± 1.5, 80.4 ± 2.6 vs. 80.3 ± 2.2, and 57.9 ± 5 vs. 58.4 ± 3.8% in the No-touch and HS group, respectively (p = 0.97). In this retrospective study, clampless off-pump CABG lowers perioperative stroke rate whose incidence is, however, not inferior compared with No-touch technique, and no statistically significance was detected. Delirium has a higher presentation rate in clampless off-pump CABG.

Postinfarction left ventricular free wall rupture: a 17-year single-centre experience.

OBJECTIVES: Left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR) is a catastrophic complication following acute myocardial infarction with an estimated incidence of 0.2-7.6% and mortality can be as high as 60%. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for morbidity and mortality in patients affected by LVFWR. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 35 patients who underwent surgery for LVFWR between January 2000 and December 2016 at our institution. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 68.3 years. The in-hospital survival was 65.7% (n = 23), and 13% of survived patients presented with cardiac arrest. The following characteristics were associated with in-hospital mortality at univariable analysis: pre-existing hypertension (P = 0.02), need for inotropes (P = 0.02) and cardiac arrest (P < 0.0001) at presentation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P = 0.004), preoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P = 0.004), technique of LVFWR repair (P = 0.013), operation on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P = 0.005) and postoperative extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (P = 0.001). In the multivariable analysis, cardiac arrest at presentation was an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality (odds ratio 11.7, 95% confidence interval 2.352-59.063; P = 0.003). The overall mean postoperative follow-up was 8.3 ± 1.3 years. Overall survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 53.2 ± 8.6% and 49.1 ± 8.9%, respectively. Among the survivors, only 6 (26.1%) patients died during follow-up with a 5-year and 10-year overall survival rate of 80.9 ± 8.7% and 74.7 ± 10%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a trend towards long-term benefit in patients surviving high-risk surgery for LVFWR repair. Considering the high lethality of LVFWR, the urgency and complexity of the primary surgical intervention early diagnosis and prompt surgery play a key role in the management of this complication.