Robotic Gallbladder Removal Has Higher Rates of Bile Duct Injury Compared to Laparoscopic, Research Shows

Researchers have identified higher rates of bile duct injury in robotic cholecystectomy (or gallbladder removal) compared to the conventional laparoscopic approach.

According to the research, the risk of bile duct injury was higher for the robotic surgery “regardless of patient risk factors.” Bile duct injuries in general are rare, but complications from cholecystectomies must be treated quickly once identified and located. Injuries to the bile duct “can result in a flow of bile from the liver into the gastrointestinal tract that assists in digestion and absorption which can proceed to leak out into the abdomen,” which can then result in the need for further procedures.

The study was undertaken to challenge the claim that “differences in bile duct injury rates” between the two methods was “due to patient-selection factors.” Medicare data that was analyzed showed that bile duct injury was higher in the robotic type of the surgery across patients all over the spectrum of risk.

Cody Mullens, the research leader, said that “most outcomes are similar between robotic and laparoscopic gallbladder removal,” but patient risk factors should not be “driving decision-making about [which way] the gallbladder should be removed.”