Robot-assisted Laparoscopic Myomectomy Is an Improvement Over Laparotomy in Women with a Limited Number of Myomas

Abstract Study Objective To compare surgical and immediate postoperative results of robot-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy vs myomectomy via laparotomy in patients with 3 myomas or fewer. Design Case-control (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting University hospital. Patients Seventy-five women who had undergone robotic-assisted laparoscopic myomectomy were compared with patients who had undergone myomectomy via laparotomy. Interventions Medical records were reviewed for surgical and postoperative variables. Both groups had 3 myomas or fewer confirmed at preoperative magnetic resonance imaging or final pathology report. Measurements and Main Results No significant differences were observed between patients insofar as preoperative demographic data. There was a significant increase in mean duration of surgery for robotic-assisted myomectomy. There was a significant decrease in blood loss, change in hematocrit concentration on postoperative day 1, length of stay, number of days to regular diet, and febrile morbidity in robotic-assisted myomectomies. There were no significant differences in operative or postoperative complications. Conclusion Although robotic-assisted myomectomy took substantially longer, most of the other variables improved in comparison with similar procedures performed via laparotomy.