Robotic bariatric surgery: bypass, band and sleeve. Where are we now? And what is the future?

Rates of Obesity and Bariatric surgery continue to increase worldwide. Obese patients represent a unique cohort with important anatomical and physiological challenges that can influence operative outcome. The aim of this review is to evaluate the current evidence regarding the role of robotics in bariatric surgery. Robotic surgery confers several technical advantages including better visual field with improved three-dimensional image, seven degrees of freedom and anti-tremor filters to enable more precise manipulations and increased dexterity by downscaling the surgeon's movements. These technical advantages are more likely to confer a benefit in terms of clinical outcome in more complicated minimally invasive procedures especially gastric bypass and in particular with important steps of the procedure such as anastomotic suturing. Despite these advantages robotic bariatric surgery is associated with increased cost and operative time, which may limit its use in less complicated procedures such as gastric band surgery. Future highly powered randomized controlled trials are required to accurately evaluate clinical outcome and cost-effectiveness of robotics both in gastric bypass and in sleeve gastrectomy.