February 4, 2015 by Brad Perriello
A massive Intuitive Surgical-backed study finds that using its da Vinci surgical robot to treat kidney cancer is improves outcomes and save costs over the long term.
A massive study funded by Intuitive Surgical (NSDQ:ISRG) found that its flagship da Vinci surgical robot delivered a benefit-to-cost ratio of more than 5 to 1 when used to treat kidney cancer.
Researchers looked at data from nearly 27,000 Medicare patients with kidney tumors, divided into cohorts with large (7cm) tumors and small (4cm) tumors. Based on 2010 data on the cost of buying and maintaining a da Vinci system over 5 years, they found that it cost about $113,000 a year. But using the system to perform partial nephrectomies delivered a net benefit of $656,000, according to the study, yielding $543,000 per year in benefits for kidney cancer patients beyond the system’s costs.
“The value of robot-assisted surgery accrues over a long time, whereas the costs are up front. This implies that short-term analyses could mistakenly conclude that the costs of the technology outweigh its benefits,” according to the study, published in the February issue of Health Affairs.
