Robotic-assisted bariatric surgery: a systematic review

Background Bariatric laparoscopic surgery has been shown to lead to sustainable weight-loss in obese individuals. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is proposed as the next major evolution in minimally invasive surgery. This study systematically reviews the literature regarding the feasibility and safety of robotic-assisted bariatric surgery in obese patients. Methods A comprehensive search of electronic databases was completed for the period 2003 to 2010. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies for relevance, inclusion, and extracted data. Results After an initial screen of 297 titles, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1253 patients with a mean preoperative body mass index of 46.6 kg/m(2) were obtained from 13 included studies. Major complications of malabsorptive procedures included eight anastomotic leaks (2.4%), bleeding (7/349 patients = 2%) and strictures/stenosis (13/430 patients = 3%). There were no reported deaths. Conclusions This systematic review demonstrates that robotic-assisted bariatric surgery is both a safe and feasible option for severely obese patients. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.