Predictors of operative time during radical retropubic prostatectomy and robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy

Objectives To better predict operative time using patient/surgical characteristics among men undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy or robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy in order to achieve more efficient operative scheduling and potentially decrease costs in the Veterans Health System. Methods We analyzed 2619 men treated with radical retropubic prostatectomy (n = 2005) or robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (n = 614) from 1993 to 2013 from six Veterans Affairs Hospitals in the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital database. Age, body mass index, race, biopsy Gleason, prostate weight, undergoing a nerve‐sparing procedure or lymph node dissection, and hospital surgical volume were analyzed in multivariable linear regression to identify predictors of operative time and to quantify the increase/decrease observed. Results In men undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy, body mass index, black race, prostate weight and a lymph node dissection all predicted longer operative times (all P ≤ 0.004). In men undergoing robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, biopsy Gleason score and a lymph node dissection were associated with increased operative time (P ≤ 0.048). In both surgical methods, a lymph node dissection added 25–40 min to the operation. Also, in both, each additional operation per year per center predicted a 0.80–0.89‐min decrease in operative time (P ≤ 0.001). Conclusions Overall, several factors seem to be associated with quantifiable changes in operative time. If confirmed in future studies, these findings can allow for a more precise estimate of operative time, which could decrease the overall cost to the patient and hospital by aiding in operating room time management.