Is Robotic Weight Loss Surgery Safe for People with a Very High BMI?
A 2026 systematic review and meta-analysis found that robotic weight loss surgery appears to be feasible and safe for people with a BMI above 50, with complication rates, time spent in hospital and other key outcomes broadly similar to the standard keyhole approach.
Who Was Studied and How
Researchers pooled data from 9 studies comparing robotic assisted and laparoscopic (keyhole) bariatric surgery in patients with a body mass index above 50. The combined sample included nearly 149,000 patients, with average BMI values across the studies ranging from 53.4 to 65.9. Studies were identified through searches covering published research up to May 2024.
What the Researchers Found
Robotic surgery took about 32 minutes longer on average than the laparoscopic approach. Beyond that difference in operating time, the analysis found no meaningful differences between the two approaches across a range of outcomes, including complications during or after surgery, reoperation rates, conversion to open surgery, surgical site infection, anastomotic leak (where a join inside the digestive tract does not seal properly), length of hospital stay and mortality.
What This Study Does and Does Not Tell Us
The findings support the use of robotic platforms for bariatric procedures in people with very high BMI, but the robotic group made up only about 7 percent of the overall patient sample. The authors note that longer term outcome data and evidence on cost effectiveness are still needed before stronger conclusions can be drawn.
About this research: Robotic Bariatric Surgery in Patients with BMI > 50 kg/m2 (Obesity V): A Systematic Review and Meta Analysis, Journal of Laparoendoscopic and Advanced Surgical Techniques, 2026. Read the study summary
More about the surgical approach discussed in this research is on our robotic surgery page. If you are considering your options, call us on (03) 9760 2777 or request an appointment through our website.