Short Term Outcomes of Open and Minimally Invasive Approaches to Segmental Colectomy for Benign Colovesical Fistula

BACKGROUND: We speculated that a minimally invasive (MIS) colectomy for colovesical fistula is associated with less morbidity compared to an open colectomy. METHODS: Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was used to investigate the outcomes of patients who underwent colectomy for benign colovesical fistula during 2012–2017 by surgical approach using the NSQIP database. RESULTS: We identified 748 patients underwent partial colectomy for benign colovesical fistula during 2012–2017. Surgeons used the MIS approach in 72.7% of operations, with a conversion rate of 13.1%. The MIS approach was associated with lower morbidity (27.4% vs. 43.1%, AOR: 0.46, P=0.02) compared to the open approach. The mean operation duration was longer in MIS operations compared to open (225 min vs. 201 min, P < 0.01). The robotic approach to colectomy showed no significant difference in morbidity (28.4% vs. 27.2%, P=0.77) but a decrease in conversion rate (8.1% vs. 13.8%, P < 0.01) and an increase in operation length (249 min vs. 222 min, mean difference: 27 min, P < 0.01) compared to a laparoscopic approach. There was no significant difference in the anastomotic leak rate between MIS and open approaches (3.7% vs. 5.4%, P=0.14) and between laparoscopic and robotic approaches (2.8% vs. 3.8%, P=0.99). CONCLUSIONS: We found a 72.7% utilization rate of MIS approach to colectomy for benign colovesical fistula in the NSQIP hospitals with a 13.6% conversion rate. Patients with MIS approach had significantly lower morbidity compared to open. A robotic approach to partial colectomy has the same morbidity risk with a decreased conversion rate compared to laparoscopic approach.