Single-Port Versus Multi-Port Robotic Retroperitoneal Partial Nephrectomy: A Propensity Score-Matched Comparison

Objective: To compare the surgical results of retroperitoneal (RP) robot partial nephrectomy (PNx) using either a single-port robot (SP) or a multi-port robot (MP). Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all RP robotic PNx performed at a single institution from September 2021—when the SP robot was introduced to the institution—through April 2023. In total, 125 patients underwent the surgery; 81 patients were treated with surgery using a MP robot whereas 44 patients were treated with surgery using a SP. All MP surgeries were performed with da Vinci Xi (Intuitive, Sunnyvale, California, USA), while all SP surgeries were performed with da Vinci SP (Intuitive, Sunnyvale, California, USA). We performed a propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis of these 125 patients. Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups after PSM. In terms of operation time, that for MP was 103.68 ± 21.89 minutes whereas that for SP was 95.43 ± 32.22 minutes (p-value = 0.164). Meanwhile, in terms of console time, that for MP was 70.95 ± 21.92 minutes whereas that for SP was 64.14 ± 32.06 minutes (p-value = 0.248). In terms of estimated blood loss was 90.91 ± 91.06 mL in MP and 92.27 ± 104.30 mL in SP (p-value = 0.948). Lastly, there was a statistically significant difference in warm ischemic time, as it was 17.18 ± 6.56 minutes in MP and 13.82 ± 4.59 in SP (p-value = 0.007). There were no statistically significant differences between MP and SP in any other surgical outcomes. Conclusions: SP robot RP PNx demonstrated comparable outcomes to those achieve using MP procedures. This means SP robot RP PNx can be considered a preferable and more convenient surgical approach than conventional methods, particularly when dealing with small renal masses located in the posterior side of the kidney.