A Propensity-Matched Comparison of the Perioperative Outcomes between Single-Port and Multi-Port Robotic Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: A Report from the Single Port Advanced Research Consortium (SPARC)

Purpose: Single-port (SP) robotic surgery is a new technology and early in its adoption curve. The goal of this study is to compare the perioperative outcomes of SP to multi-port (MP) robotic technology for partial nephrectomy. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of patients who have undergone robot-assisted partial nephrectomy using SP and MP technology. Baseline demographic, clinical, and tumor-specific characteristics and perioperative outcomes were compared using χ2, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U test in the overall cohort and in a 1:1 propensity score-matched cohort, adjusting for baseline characteristics. Results: After propensity matching, 146 SP patients were matched with 146 MP patients. SP and MP groups had similar mean age (58 ± 12 years vs 59 ± 12 years; p = 0.606) and proportion of men (54.11% vs 52.05%; p = 0.725). The SP had a longer mean ischemia (18.29 ± 10.49 minutes vs 13.79 ± 6.29 minutes; p < 0.001). Estimated blood loss (EBL) and length of hospital stay (LOS), operative time, positive margin rate, and any complication rate were similar between the two groups. Conclusions: SP partial nephrectomy had a longer ischemia time, and a comparable LOS, EBL, operative time, positive margin rates, and complication rates to MP. These early data are encouraging. However, the role of SP requires further study and should evaluate safety and long-term data when compared with the standard MP technique.