An institutional analysis of hospital readmission following a robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy

This study sought to identify the primary reasons for hospital readmissions and examine patient outcomes and associated costs following readmission after robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 435 patients who underwent robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy between 2012 and 2024. Readmitted patients within 30 days post-surgery were compared to non-readmitted patients using Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test. Data are presented as median (mean ± SD). In the study cohort, 86 patients (20%) were readmitted within 30 days after surgery. No significant differences were found in patient demographics or outcomes. The most common causes for readmission included insufficient patient education (n = 18), infection (n = 16), and gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 13). The readmitted cohort had significantly higher costs at $40,452 (± 30,724) compared to $31,438 (± 31,546.2) for non-readmitted patients (p < 0.001). Median survival was similar between the two groups (36 vs. 34 months, p = 0.88). Although some readmissions are inevitable, this study provides compelling evidence that inadequate patient education is a primary contributor to increased healthcare costs. The lack of sufficient education appears to have no mitigating effect on patient outcomes. Implementing a proactive, thorough patient education approach, combined with improved emergency department awareness, presents a promising strategy for reducing costly readmissions.