Clinical outcomes, costs of robotic vs open ventral hernia repair

Editor's Note

This study led by researchers at Good Samaritan Medical Center, Brockton, Massachusetts, and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, examines the clinical outcomes and costs of robotic and open ventral hernia repairs.

A total of 675 open and 609 robotic ventral hernia repairs were included in the analysis.

Among the findings:

• Complication rates were lower in robotic repairs (4.9% vs 13.2%).
• Robotic repairs resulted in fewer surgical site events (12.2% vs 21.5%)
• Recurrence rates were greater in open repairs (8.9% vs 2.8%)
• Higher robotic repair hospital costs ($2,456) were balanced by lower post-discharge costs ($799)
• Total costs did not differ ($1,656).

The researchers concluded that although hospital costs were higher, post-discharge costs were lower because of lower postoperative complications, leading to comparable total costs for robotic and open ventral hernia repairs.