To compare the safety and efficacy of the KangDuo surgical robotic system (KD-SR-01/KD-SR-02) and the da Vinci surgical robotic system (Si/Xi) in single-position robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy.

A retrospective review was conducted of 117 patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent single-position robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy at the Department of Urology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, between Dec. 2021 and Dec. 2024. Among them, 52 patients underwent surgery with the KangDuo robotic system (K-RRNU group), and 65 patients underwent surgery with the da Vinci robotic system (D-RRNU group). Demographic characteristics, clinical data, perioperative outcomes, and follow-up results were collected and compared between the two groups.

There were no significant differences in baseline demographic characteristics or preoperative clinical data between the two groups (P>0.05). Both groups had a 100% surgical success rate, with no conversions to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. In terms of perioperative outcomes, the K-RRNU group had significantly longer operative time and console time than the D-RRNU group (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in complication rates, postoperative length of hospital stay, or oncological outcomes, including recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) (P>0.05). The K-RRNU group had significantly lower hospitalization costs than the D-RRNU group (P<0.05).

Compared with the da Vinci robotic system, the KangDuo robotic system demonstrated comparable safety and efficacy in single-position robot-assisted laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy.