Robotic Surgery and Blood Clot Risks: What You Need to Know

Robotic surgery has become a big deal in treating cancers of the urinary system. But how safe is it? A recent study looked at over 2, 000 patients who had robotic surgery using a single-port technique. This method is newer and less invasive, but doctors wanted to check if it increases the risk of blood clots. The study focused on two types of surgeries: one for prostate cancer and another for kidney cancer. Out of all the patients, only a few had blood clots. Specifically, there were no blood clots after kidney cancer surgeries. However, after prostate cancer surgeries, eight patients had deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and two had pulmonary embolism (PE). Doctors used a scoring system called the Caprini score to figure out who was at higher risk. They found that patients with higher scores were more likely to develop blood clots. This shows that the Caprini score can be a useful tool to identify patients who might need extra precautions. Overall, the risk of blood clots from these surgeries is pretty low. But it's important for doctors to use tools like the Caprini score to make sure patients stay safe. This study gives a good starting point for future research on how to prevent blood clots in patients undergoing robotic surgery.