Study: Robot surgery outcomes superior to laparoscopic metabolic, bariatric procedures

Editor's Note

Two new studies show robotic surgery outperforming laparoscopic approaches to metabolic and bariatric procedures in terms of operating times, length of hospital stay, and complication rates, according to a June 11 report in Medical Xpress.

Both studies were presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting, the outlet reports. The first compared 498 robotic surgeries to 311 laparoscopic procedures performed by a single surgeon between 2020 and 2023. In roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB),  robotic approaches resulted in shorter operating times (97.6 min vs. 115.4 min), reduced hospitalization (1.19 days vs. 1.39 days), and fewer complications (1.7% vs. 5.1%). Robotic sleeve gastrectomy also resulted in shorter operative times (47.4 min vs. 53.1 min), shorter hospital stays (1.14 days vs. 1.30 days), and fewer complications (0.8% vs. 3.2%) compared to laparoscopic surgery. Operative times and complication rates were similar in duodenal switch procedures, but the robotic approach resulted in shorter hospital stays.

The second study involved comparing 469 robotic surgeries to 275 laparoscopic procedures in patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes undergoing RYGB or sleeve gastrectomy. According to Medical Xpress, “Major complication rates for patients with diabetes (2.4% vs. 8.3%), length of stay (1.19 days vs. 1.48 days) and operative times (71.7 min. vs. 90.5 min.) were all lower compared to laparoscopy and were comparable to rates seen with patients with no diabetes.”

The ASMBS estimates nearly 280,000 metabolic and bariatric procedures were performed in 2022, representing about 1% of those eligible based on BMI, the article notes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that obesity affects 42.4% of Americans, increasing the risk of various diseases and conditions. These studies reflect the increasing importance of robotic procedures in metabolic and bariatric surgeries.