A Comparison of Colectomy Outcomes Utilizing Open, Laparoscopic, and Robotic Techniques

Area of Science:

• Colorectal Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Robotic colectomy is increasingly adopted, with potential benefits over traditional open and laparoscopic procedures.
• Comparative effectiveness research is crucial for understanding surgical approach outcomes in community settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare 30-day outcomes of colectomy across open, laparoscopic, and robotic surgical approaches.
• To evaluate the impact of surgical technique on patient recovery and complications at a single institution.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 115 colectomy patients (2015-2019) categorized by surgical approach: open, laparoscopic, and robotic.
• Analysis of 30-day outcomes including operative time, reoperation, readmission, major complications, length of stay (LOS), and estimated blood loss (EBL).
• Statistical analysis using univariate logistic regression, linear regression, and Poisson modeling to assess outcome predictors.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in operative time, reoperation rates, readmissions, or major complications among the three surgical groups.
• Robotic colectomy demonstrated a statistically significant shorter length of stay (LOS) compared to open and laparoscopic approaches.
• Robotic colectomy was associated with significantly decreased estimated blood loss (EBL) versus the other methods.

Conclusions:

• In this single-institution review, open, laparoscopic, and robotic colectomy showed comparable 30-day morbidity and mortality rates.
• Robotic colectomy offers advantages in reduced length of stay and estimated blood loss.
• The findings support robotic colectomy as a viable option with specific recovery benefits.