SP 11.15 Body-Mass-Index (BMI) is Not Predictive of Post-Operative Complications After Robotic Colorectal Resection: A Single-Centre Five-Year Experience

Background

Robotic Assisted (RAS) colorectal resections have shown positive outcomes when compared to laparoscopic approaches. For laparoscopic resections, BMI is a significant predictor of the development of post-operative complications.

We aimed to report RAS outcomes for colorectal resections, and to assess whether BMI was associated with post-operative complications.

Methods

All adult patients undergoing RAS colorectal resections between July 2021-2025 were included from our prospectively updated database. Reversal of stoma operations were excluded. Multivariate regression (MVR) was conducted to assess factors predicting complications. Subgroup chi-squared analysis was used to assess whether each BMI category differed in terms of complications.

Results

Over five years, 270 patients were included. Most were men (54.8), median age was 64. Conversion to open rates, mortality and post-operative complication rates were all low (0.7%, 2.9% and 30% respectively). Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥3) were only present in 3%. The only significant predictor of complications on MVR was CRP on post-operative day 3 (p=0.002). Most patients were overweight (40%) or obese (34.1%). Normal BMIs were present in 21.4% of patients, 1.9% were underweight and 2.4% morbidly obese. BMI was not predictive of post-operative complications in any category: underweight (BMI ≤18.5, p=0.158), normal (BMI 18.6-24.5, p=0.096), overweight (BMI 25-29.9, p=0.999), obese (BMI 30-39.9, p=0.561) and morbidly obese (BMI ≥40, p=0.366).

Conclusions

RAS resections have low conversion to open and mortality rates. Severe complications are rare. BMI is not associated with complications, suggesting that RAS is a more favourable approach than laparoscopic for colorectal resections in patients with a high BMI.