A Decade of Robotic Hepatectomies: Learning Curve and Outcomes

Over a 10-year span, a medical center’s experience with 100 major robotic liver resections was examined, showing the evolution of robotic surgery. The study found no significant differences in key parameters like operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, 90-day readmission, major complications, and mortality between early and late cases. Notably, the study revealed a learning curve, with improved ICU admission rates and higher difficulty indices in the latter half of the cases. This suggests that developing a successful robotic liver program is achievable over time, with the institutional learning curve stabilizing after approximately 50 cases.