Robotic-assisted gastric bypass led to few complications, no deaths

Patients who underwent robotic-assisted gastric bypass experienced no deaths and few complications in a recent study presented at the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting in San Diego.

Researchers evaluated 1,695 patients who received robotic-assisted Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RARYGB) surgery at three facilities in Texas (578 patients), Maine (708) and Florida (409) between February 2003 and September 2011. Complications and outcomes within 30 days of the procedures were recorded. The average length of hospital stay was 2.2 days for the cohort.

Observed events included 17 bowel obstructions, five infections, 18 incidents of bleeding and six negative laparoscopic explorations. Readmissions were necessary for 81 patients (4.8% of cases) and 46 patients required reoperation (2.7%). Fourteen patients (0.8%) received transfusions, five (0.3%) experienced leak or abscess and four (0.2%) were diagnosed with early strictures within 30 days of surgery. No deaths occurred among the cohort.

“This report of the largest series of robotic-assisted bypasses from three high-volume centers reveals very low complication rates in the first 30 days,” the researchers concluded. “It reveals zero 30-day mortality, an exceptional[ly] low leak rate, and provides strong evidence that RARYGB has extremely safe and reproducible outcomes.”

For more information:

Wilson EB. #PL-134: Favorable Early Complications of Robotic Assisted Gastric Bypass from Three High Volume Centers: 1,695 Consecutive Cases. Presented at: the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery Annual Meeting; June 17-22, San Diego.