Robotic surgeries safer for complex liver procedures, new study suggests

Robotic surgeries may be the best option for complex liver operations, a new study suggests. Researchers at a New York City hospital analyzed 353 liver surgeries performed from 2017 to 2023. Among them, 112 were open surgeries, 107 were laparoscopic, and 134 used surgical robots.

The study, published in Surgical Endoscopy, found robotic and laparoscopic procedures resulted in significantly shorter hospital stays and fewer complications than open surgeries.

Robotic surgeries also had an 87% lower likelihood of switching to open surgery mid-operation compared to laparoscopic methods. The findings highlight the growing role of robotics in improving outcomes for high-risk procedures.