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Updated: May 3, 2026
Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation
Published on: July 19, 2021
Robot-assisted liver surgery reduces complication rates while maintaining equivalent outcome quality compared to open
Alexander Wilk1, Methin Mazgaldzhi2, Thorsten Brechmann3
1Augusta-Klinikum Bochum Mitte, Clinic for General, Visceral and Robotic Surgery, Bochum, Germany; Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
Introduction:
Resecting liver surgery has been dominated by open surgical approaches (OLR). Minimal invasive procedures such as robotic liver surgery (RLR) are technically challenging but may reduce the surgical trauma and complication rates.
Objectives & Methods:
This study aims to compare the outcomes of RLR and OLR. A retrospective, single-centre analysis was conducted on 185 patients who underwent liver resection for benign or malign diseases (OLR: 86, RLR: 99). The primary objective was complication rates based on Clavien-Dindo classification, Secondary objectives included operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, and resection outcomes.
Results:
RLR was associated with significantly less major complications (23.1 % vs. 41.9 %, p = 0.011), lower blood loss (200 ml vs. 400 ml, p = 0.013) and shorter hospital stays (9.0 vs. 13.0 days, p < 0.001). Primary oncological results were similar.
Conclusion:
RLR provides equivalent resection quality to OLR, with fewer complications, less blood loss, and shorter hospital stays.
