A new study suggests that complex hepatic (liver) surgeries could be better performed robotically.
Surgeons at a major New York City hospital reviewed 353 surgeries performed between 2017 and 2023 that removed parts of patients’ livers, including 112 open surgeries with large incisions, 107 performed by laparoscopic surgeons and 134 using surgical robots.
After studying individual patient risk factors and the complexity of each case, those who underwent laparoscopic or robotic surgery had a shorter average length of stay of 39 and 43%, respectively, and were 89 and 62% shorter. less likely to develop complications, respectively, than patients who underwent open surgery.
According to a report published in the journal “Surgical Endoscopy,” robotic surgeries were 87% less likely to require conversion to open surgery during the operation than laparoscopic surgeries.
