Robotic surgery reduces the consumption of medical consumables: cost analysis of robotic pancreatic surgery from a tertiary hospital in China

Abstract

Robotic surgery has been increasingly adopted in various surgical fields, but the cost-effectiveness of this technology remains controversial due to its high cost and limited improvements in clinical outcomes. This study aims to explore the health economic implications of robotic pancreatic surgery, to investigate its impact on hospitalization costs and consumption of various medical resources. Data of patients who underwent pancreatic surgery at our institution were collected and divided into robotic and traditional groups. Statistical analyses of hospitalization costs, length of stay, costs across different service categories, and subgroup cost analyses based on age, BMI class, and procedure received were performed using t tests and linear regression. Although the total hospitalization cost for the robotic group was significantly higher than that for the traditional group, there was a notable reduction in the cost of medical consumables. The reduction was more prominent among elderly patients, obese patients, and those undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, which could be attributed to the technological advantages of the robotic surgery platform that largely facilitate blood control, tissue protection, and suturing. The study concluded that despite higher overall costs, robotic pancreatic surgery offers significant savings in medical consumables, particularly benefiting certain patient subgroups. The findings provide valuable insights into the economic viability of robotic surgery, supporting its adoption from a health economics perspective.

Keywords: Hospitalization cost; Medical consumables; Pancreatic surgery; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Robotic surgery.