Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

We aim to summarize the available literature on patients treated with robotic bariatric surgery (RBS) or laparoscopic bariatric surgery (LBS) and compare the clinical outcomes between RBS and LBS. A systematic literature was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Thirty-four observational studies met our inclusion criteria, and 27 studies of 27,997 patients were included in the meta-analysis. There were no significant differences between RBS and LBS regarding overall postoperative complications, major complications, the length of hospital stay, reoperation, conversion, and mortality. Nevertheless, RBS was burdened by longer operative times and higher hospital costs when compared with LBS. On the contrary, the incidence of anastomotic leak was lower in RBS than in LBS. Further studies with a longer follow-up are recommended.