A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ROBOTIC V/S CONVENTIONAL SURGERY FOR FIVE GASTROENTEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS: THE CASE OF AN AHMEDABAD-BASED HOSPITAL

Purpose: This study investigates the difference in post-operative outcomes between patients who have undergone laparoscopic and robotic surgery for ve gastroenterological conditions at a prominent hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, and whether the differences are affected by age. A retrospective chart Design/ methodology/ approach: analysis of 69 laparoscopic and robotic surgeries for ve different gastroenterological conditions (hernia, hiatus hernia, cholecystectomy, colon cancer and pancreatic cancer) performed at Zydus Hospitals Ahmedabad in 2023 was conducted. Operative outcomes analysed included operative time (in minutes) and length of stay (in days) which were compared across age using Student t-test and ANOVA. A noticeable difference is found in the mean Findings: operative time for robotic surgery (204.75 minutes) compared to laparoscopic surgery (170.18 minutes). The mean length of stay (in days) for robotic surgery patients was 6.11 days i.e., approximately 2 days more than that of patients with laparoscopic surgery (4.06 days). The difference in mean operative time between age groups is statistically signicant whereas the difference in the mean length of stay between age groups is not. Practical implications: The results suggest that promoting robotic surgery in India could be an effective approach for improving surgical outcomes for gastroenterological conditions. It also emphasises the need for ongoing professional development programmes to enhance surgical expertise in robotic surgery.