Ambulatory Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy: Is It Ready for Prime Time? A Quality of Life Analysis.

To investigate the difference, if any, in the quality of life (QoL) at specified intervals in patients undergoing same day discharge (SDD, ambulatory) next day discharge (NDD) after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Two hundred consecutive patients underwent RALP with either SDD or NDD. They completed validated pain and health-related QoL questionnaires at predefined intervals postoperatively and results were compared between the two groups. Pearson's coefficient revealed significant correlations between the time of discharge and physical well-being ( = -0.139;  = 0.005), emotional well-being (EWB) ( = -0.71;  < 0.001), functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) ( = -0.367;  < 0.001), functional assessment of cancer therapy-prostate (FACT-P) ( = -0.273;  < 0.001), pain severity score (PSS) ( = 0.237;  < 0.001), and pain interference score (PIS) ( = 0.214;  < 0.001). Student's -test revealed significant ( < 0.001) difference in the means of PSS, PIS, EWB, FACT-G, and FACT-P between both groups. Time of discharge was found to be an independent significant predictor ( < 0.01) of PSS and PIS. Pearson's coefficients revealed that PSS had significant correlations with age ( = -0.60;  < 0.001), body mass index ( = 0.87;  < 0.001), and console time (CT) ( = 0.63;  < 0.001). CT also correlated with the estimated blood loss ( = 0.65;  < 0.001). Patients who were discharged the same day as their RALP had lesser pain and interference in general activity scores 2 days after discharge and had better perceived overall health than patients who were discharged on postoperative day 1.