Robotic Prostatectomy Artificial Intelligence Low Pressure Pain (RALP) Trial

In the researchers' words

The 'Robotic Prostatectomy Artificial Intelligence Low Pressure Pain Study Trial' aims to assess the feasibility of being able to review operative outcomes such as pain when comparing two commonly used surgical devices for the removal of prostate cancers. The data collected will inform methodologies for future, larger, multi-center trials investigating pain in patients undergoing prostate cancer surgery. A robotic prostatectomy is a commonly performed surgery used to treat prostate cancer by removing the prostate gland. In order to perform the procedure, the surgeon must 'inflate' (technical term pneumoperitoneum) the patients abdomen with carbon dioxide gas using a device called an insufflator. Adequate 'inflation' of the abdomen ensures the surgeon can clearly visualise the prostate. Unfortunately, higher pressures of abdominal 'inflation' are a large contributor to intra and post-operative pain in patients having prostatectomies. The type of insufflator device used to maintain inflation pressures in the abdomen are thought to be a variable contributing to differing levels of intra and post-operative pain. Therefore, the purpose of this trial is to compare intra and post-operative pain when using two different insufflator devices when performing robotic prostatectomies. Both insufflators are already commonly used across multiple NHS Trusts. 40 patients awaiting a robotic…