Perioperative Outcomes of Robotic Versus Conventional Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in Surgically Complex Cases: A Propensity Score-Matched Study

Abstract

Objective: To compare perioperative outcomes between robotic and conventional total laparoscopic hysterectomy in terms of operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative recovery in surgically complex cases. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients that underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy between 2020 and 2022. As robotic surgery was preferentially applied to more complex cases in an effort to minimize the risk of open conversion, propensity score matching based on uterine weight and history of abdominal surgery was performed. The normality of continuous variables was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test; non-normally distributed variables are reported as median [interquartile range] and compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. Multivariate linear regression with log-transformed estimated blood loss was conducted to evaluate the independent association of surgical approach with hemostatic outcomes. Results: After 1:1 matching, 93 patients were analyzed per group. Robotic surgery was associated with longer operative time but lower estimated blood loss when compared with conventional laparoscopy. Postoperative hemoglobin decline, length of hospital stay, and complication rates were comparable between groups. In multivariate analysis, uterine weight and operative time were the primary determinants of estimated blood loss; surgical approach showed a modest, independent association with lower log-transformed estimated blood loss after adjustment for these factors. Conclusions: Robotic and conventional total laparoscopic hysterectomy demonstrated comparable perioperative safety profiles with different operative trade-offs. Observed differences in estimated blood loss reflect complex interactions between surgical difficulty, operative time, and instrumentation rather than inherent platform superiority. These findings support an individualized approach to surgical modality selection based on case complexity, to minimize risk of intraoperative complication leading to open conversion.