Five Year Trends in the Utilization of Robotic Bariatric Surgery Procedures, United States 2015-2019

Abstract Background: To evaluate the national 5-year utilization trends and outcomes in robotic metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS).Study design: Retrospective analysis of 2015-2019 MBSAQIP data. Kruskal-Wallis test/Wilcoxon rank-sum test and generalized linear models were used to compare continuous/categorical variables. Chi square tests were used to compared robotic versus laparoscopic approaches.Results: The use of robotic MBS increased from 6.2% in 2015 to 13.5% in 2019 (N= 775,258). Robotic MBS patients had marginally higher age, body mass index, and likelihood of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, renal insufficiency, gastroesophageal reflux, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, vena cava filter, coronary angioplasty, anticoagulation therapy, mobility devices, and dependency, but lower organ transplantations compared to laparoscopic patients. Robotic MBS patients showed higher 30-day reinterventions and readmissions alongside a longer surgery time (26-38 min).Conclusion: Robotic MBS shows higher reintervention and readmission rates which could be driven by the higher baseline comorbidity rates of this group.