Laparoscopic hepatectomy reduces postoperative complications and hospital stay in overweight and obese patients

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic liver surgery is currently considered the standard of care for various liver malignancies. However, studies focusing on perioperative outcome after laparoscopic hepatectomy (LH) in overweight patients are still sparse and its benefit compared to open hepatectomy (OH) is a matter of debate. AIM: To analyze postoperative outcomes in overweight [body mass index (BMI) over 25 kg/m²] and obese (BMI over 30 kg/m²) patients undergoing LH and compare postoperative outcome with patients undergoing OH. METHODS: Perioperative data of 68 overweight (BMI over 25 kg/m²) including a subcohort of obese (BMI over 30 kg/m²) patients (n = 27) who underwent LH at our institution between 2015 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed regarding surgical outcome and compared to an equal number of patients undergoing OH. RESULTS: The mean BMI was 29.8 ± 4.9 kg/m(2) in the LH group and 29.7 ± 3.6 kg/m(2) in the OH group with major resections performed in 20.6% (LH) and 26.5% (OH) of cases, respectively. Operative time (194 ± 88 min vs 275 ± 131 min; P < 0.001) as well as intensive care (0.8 ± 0.7 d vs 1.1 ± 0.8 d; P = 0.031) and hospital stay (7.3 ± 3.6 d vs 15.7 ± 13.5 d; P < 0.001) were significant shorter in the LH group. Also, overall complications (20.6% vs 45.6%; P = 0.005) and major complications (1.5% vs 14.7%, P = 0.002) were observed less frequently after LH. An additional investigation analyzing the subgroup of obese patients who underwent LH (n = 27) and OH (n = 29) showed a shorter operative time (194 ± 81 min vs 260 ± 137 min; P = 0.009) and a reduced length of hospitalization (7.7 ± 4.3 d vs 17.2 ± 17 d; P < 0.001) but no difference in postoperative complications or overall cost. CONCLUSION: LH is safe and cost-effective in overweight and obese patients. Furthermore, LH is significantly associated with fewer postoperative complications and reduced hospital stay compared to OH in these patients.