Work

The impact of body mass and posterior adiposity indices in robotic adrenalectomy

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Background Robotic adrenalectomy is performed via transabdominal (TA) or retroperitoneoscopic (RP) approaches, but the impact of body mass index (BMI) on robotic adrenalectomy outcomes in either approach is unclear. Posterior Adiposity Index (PAI), predictive of operative time in RP adrenalectomy, remains unevaluated with the robotic platform. This study assessed the impact of patient BMI and PAI on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing either TA or RP robotic adrenalectomy. Methods This was a single-institution retrospective cohort study of adult patients who underwent robotic adrenalectomy from 5/1/2018 to 6/17/2024. Patients were analyzed by approach and BMI. The primary outcome was operative time. Secondary outcomes included estimated blood loss (EBL), length of stay (LOS), and complications within 30 days. The correlation of operative time to PAI, BMI, and patient characteristics was assessed. Results 149 patients (age 55 yrs. [IQR:42,66], 70% female) underwent 98 TA and 51 RP robotic adrenalectomies. Patients who underwent TA robotic adrenalectomies had larger nodules, higher BMI, and greater EBL; operative time, LOS, and complications were similar. Patients with elevated BMI (BMI ≥ 25) had similar preoperative characteristics to those with normal BMI (BMI < 25); they had longer operative times (129 min [107, 156] vs. 118 [90, 134], p = 0.045) and LOS (1 [1,1] vs 1 [1,1] p = 0.015) including two patients with 8-day LOS, but similar EBL (5 [5,10] vs. 10 [5,23], p = 0.828) and complication rates (15% vs 5%, p = 0.477). Among TA, but not RP, patients, BMI weakly correlated with operative time ( $$\rho$$ ρ = 0.320, p < 0.005). PAI did not correlate with operative time. Conclusion This retrospective cohort study evaluating the impact of BMI and PAI on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing robotic adrenalectomy demonstrated that while elevated BMI (BMI ≥ 25) appears to prolong TA robotic adrenalectomy, PAI is not predictive of operative time in RP robotic adrenalectomy.

Source: Surgical Endoscopy

DOI: 10.1007/s00464-025-12416-7