Weight did not predict robotic liver surgery outcomes

Obese patients recovered as smoothly as normal-weight patients after robotic liver resection at experienced centers, according to a multinational study across 29 centers.

• About 1 in 5 patients missed a smooth, uncomplicated recovery, at similar rates across weight groups.
• The 2,905 patients included 635 who were obese or morbidly obese.

The difficulty and extent of the resection mattered far more than body weight. These were patients chosen for a robotic operation at high-volume centers, so the study can’t say whether obese patients do better robotically than with open or laparoscopic surgery.