Over the last 15 years, robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy surgery has seen a considerable rise in France. To date, it represents the most common surgical technique for radical prostatectomies, compared with standard procedure such as open retropubic radical prostatectomy or laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (8000 procedures/year, 40% of surgeries). In 2016, the French Health Authority (HAS) published a report on the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy practice that highlighted the small amount of available convincing data to provide evidence for a significant clinical benefit. There were no published data on overall or progression-free survival compared with other surgical procedures, with an important organizational and financial impact for healthcare institutions and patients. The question of the clinical benefit and the cost-effectiveness ratio of this surgical procedure is still relevant taking into account that randomized studies are difficult to carry out and that results of prospective registers will be available in many years. In this context, the use of the French National Claims Database (SNDS) appears to be the best short-term and reduced-cost solution to identify patients who benefited from the three surgical procedures since the rise of robotics. It would provide real-life data to national institutions in order to conclude on the opportunity to set a specific hospital tariff for the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness ratio and the clinical benefit (survival, disease recurrence, functional results) of the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy compared with other procedures using real-life data from SNDS. The population of patients who benefited from robot-assisted surgery will be identified in the SNDS through a practices survey, allowing the identification of centres fully converted to robotics.
This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness ratio and the clinical benefit (survival, disease recurrence, functional results) of the robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy compared with other procedures using real-life data from SNDS. The population of patients who benefited from robot-assisted surgery will be identified in the SNDS through a practices survey, allowing the identification of centres fully converted to robotics.