TABLE 1.
Demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics of patients undergoing robotic versus open thyroidectomy for cancer (2010–2011)
| Robotic (N = 225) | Open (N = 57729) | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient age (years; mean ± SD) | 47 ± 15 | 51 ± 15 | 0.0002 |
| Female | 186 (82.7) | 44,017 (76.5) | 0.02 |
| Race | 0.01 | ||
| White | 181 (80.4) | 48,597 (84.2) | |
| Black | 14 (6.2) | 4,597 (8) | |
| Asian | 18 (8.0) | 2,488 (4.3) | |
| Hispanic | 11 (4.9) | 4,459 (7.7) | NS |
| Annual incomea | NS | ||
| <$35,000 | 56 (24.9) | 14,050 (24.3) | |
| ≥$35,000 | 156 (69.3) | 39,765 (68.9) | |
| Insurance type | 0.01 | ||
| Private | 174 (77.3) | 39,220 (67.9) | |
| Medicare | 27 (12.0) | 11,354 (19.7) | |
| Medicaid | 12 (5.3) | 3,537 (6.1) | |
| Educationb | NS | ||
| Less educated | 75 (33.3) | 18,706 (32.4) | |
| More educated | 137 (60.9) | 35,102 (60.8) | |
| Urban/rural | NS | ||
| Metro | 186 (82.7) | 45,598 (79) | |
| Urban/rural | 27 (12.0) | 7,716 (13.4 %) | |
| Year of diagnosis | 0.08 | ||
| 2010 | 98 (43.6) | 28,593 (49.5) | |
| 2011 | 127 (56.4) | 29,136 (50.5) | |
| Hospital type | <0.0001 | ||
| Academic | 135 (60.0) | 24,609 (42.6) | |
| Comprehensivec | 72 (32.0) | 28,693 (49.7) | |
| Community | 18 (8.0) | 4,218 (7.3) | |
| Robotic case volume (mean ± SD) | 8 ± 10 | 4 ± 7 | <0.0001 |
| Hospital location | 0.06 | ||
| South | 87 (38.7) | 19,629 (34.0) | |
| Northeast | 64 (28.4) | 15,162 (26.3) | |
| West | 40 (17.8) | 9,868 (17.1) | |
| Midwest | 34 (15.1) | 13,070 (22.6) | |
| Distance traveled (mean miles ± SD)d | 70 ± 237 | 34 ± 259 | NS |
| Comorbiditye | NS | ||
| 0 | 194 (86.2) | 47,505 (82.3) | |
| ≥1 | 31 (13.8) | 10,224 (17.7) | |
| Histology | NS | ||
| Papillary | 212 (94.2) | 51,957 (90.0) | |
| Follicular | 11 (4.9) | 4,162 (7.2) | |
| Insular | 0 | 83 (0.1) | |
| Anaplastic | 0 | 183 (0.3) | |
| Tumor size (cm) | NS | ||
| <1.0 | 88 (39.1) | 21,404 (37.1) | |
| 1.0–2.0 | 73 (32.4) | 18,375 (31.8) | |
| 2.1–4.0 | 43 (19.1) | 11,687 (20.2) | |
| >4.0 | 18 (8.0) | 4,991 (8.7) | |
| Extrathyroidal extension | 28 (12.4) | 9,495 (16.5) | NS |
| Multifocality | 72 (32) | 22,012 (38.1) | NS |
| Nodal disease | 33 (14.7) | 11,735 (20.3) | 0.04 |
| Metastatic diseasef | 0 | 622 (1.1) | NS |
| Extent of surgery | <0.0001 | ||
| Total thyroidectomy | 151 (67.1) | 48,454 (83.9) | |
| Lobectomy | 70 (31.1) | 8,458 (14.7) | |
| Lymph node dissection | 91 (40.4) | 30,382 (52.6) | <0.001 |
Data are expressed as n (%) unless otherwise specified
Percentages were rounded and may not add up to 100. Missing data were not included in the analyses
NS non-significant, SD standard deviation
Median household income for each patient's area of residence is estimated by matching the ZIP code of the patient. Household income is categorized as <$35,000 or ≥$35,000
This variable provides a measure of the number of adults in the patient's ZIP code who did not graduate from high school, and is categorized as less educated: ≥20 % of citizens within ZIP code area with no high-school diploma; educated: <20 % of citizens within ZIP code with no high-school diploma
Comprehensive community hospital
Distance traveled to treating hospital in miles
Comorbidity as defined by Charlson-Deyo score
Metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis