The utilization of robotics in general surgery has increased significantly including usage in the Veterans Affairs (VA) system. We implemented a robotic inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) program in our VA hospital and report on initial experience with safety and outcomes. The first 100 consecutive RIHR at a VA hospital were reviewed and compared against the results of contemporaneous open inguinal hernia repair (OIHR). Data were collected for operative characteristics, surgical complications and pain related outcomes. Overall, operative times for OIHR were less than RIHR (83.7 vs. 109.7 min, p < 0.0001); however, there was no difference in operative time for bilateral repairs (121.5 vs. 121.9 min, p = ns). Complication rates were similar between the groups. RIHR patients had less pain at POD 1 than OIHR patients (p = 0.05). RIHR were less likely to have multiple post-op visits for pain than OIHR patients (p = 0.003). RIHR can be implemented in the VA system with acceptable surgical outcomes. RIHR may be associated with less post-operative pain in the early post-operative period.
Keywords: Inguinal hernia; Minimally invasive; Outcomes; Robotics; Surgical procedures.