TY - JOUR
T1 - Robotic versus open component separation
T2 - A retrospective cohort and propensity score analysis of complication rates and clinical outcomes
AU - Maldonado, Silvana
AU - Gonzales, Carlos
AU - Desai, Anshumi
AU - Guart, Jiddu
AU - Ventura, Alba Zevallos
AU - Valcarcel, Bryan
AU - Escandon, Joseph
AU - Mejia, Natalia
AU - Mesa, Camila Franco
AU - Roman, J. Smith Torres
AU - Sarikhani, Hamed
AU - Barrueto, Jose Luis
AU - De la Cruz Ku, Gabriel
AU - Czerniach, Donald
AU - Patel, Sameer
AU - Walchak, Adam
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 Maldonado et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
PY - 2026/4
Y1 - 2026/4
N2 - Background Complex ventral hernias are a surgical challenge associated with high morbidity and healthcare costs. Component separation techniques have improved throughout the years with better outcomes, although the optimal approach remains debated. Robotic surgery has shown promising outcomes as an alternative to open repair, although data in large multicenter studies is still limited. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Adult patients undergoing component separation for ventral hernia repair were identified using CPT and ICD codes. Outcomes included 30-day surgical, wound, medical, and overall complications, as well as length of stay and readmission. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching were applied to adjust for baseline differences. Results A total of 6,207 patients were included, from those 4,443 (71.6%) underwent open technique and 1,764 (28.4%) robotic. After propensity matching (n = 5,259), robotic repair was independently associated with significantly lower overall complication rates (4.8% vs. 19.6%, aOR 0.193, 95% CI 0.140–0.265, p < 0.001), including wound (2.2% vs. 10.2%, aOR 0.164, p < 0.001), surgical (2.9% vs. 10.0%, aOR 0.271, p < 0.001), and medical complications (2.0% vs. 7.0%, aOR 0.229, p < 0.001). Robotic surgery was also associated with shorter length of stay (1.34 vs. 3.86 days, p < 0.001) and lower readmission rates (4.4% vs. 9.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions Robotic component separation for ventral hernia repair is associated with lower postoperative complication rates, shorter length of stay, and fewer readmissions compared to the open approach. These benefits remained significant after multivariate analysis and propensity score matching, supporting the robotic technique as an effective strategy. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes, including recurrence, and to assess cost-effectiveness to optimize evidence-based surgical decision-making.
AB - Background Complex ventral hernias are a surgical challenge associated with high morbidity and healthcare costs. Component separation techniques have improved throughout the years with better outcomes, although the optimal approach remains debated. Robotic surgery has shown promising outcomes as an alternative to open repair, although data in large multicenter studies is still limited. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Adult patients undergoing component separation for ventral hernia repair were identified using CPT and ICD codes. Outcomes included 30-day surgical, wound, medical, and overall complications, as well as length of stay and readmission. Multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching were applied to adjust for baseline differences. Results A total of 6,207 patients were included, from those 4,443 (71.6%) underwent open technique and 1,764 (28.4%) robotic. After propensity matching (n = 5,259), robotic repair was independently associated with significantly lower overall complication rates (4.8% vs. 19.6%, aOR 0.193, 95% CI 0.140–0.265, p < 0.001), including wound (2.2% vs. 10.2%, aOR 0.164, p < 0.001), surgical (2.9% vs. 10.0%, aOR 0.271, p < 0.001), and medical complications (2.0% vs. 7.0%, aOR 0.229, p < 0.001). Robotic surgery was also associated with shorter length of stay (1.34 vs. 3.86 days, p < 0.001) and lower readmission rates (4.4% vs. 9.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions Robotic component separation for ventral hernia repair is associated with lower postoperative complication rates, shorter length of stay, and fewer readmissions compared to the open approach. These benefits remained significant after multivariate analysis and propensity score matching, supporting the robotic technique as an effective strategy. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate long-term outcomes, including recurrence, and to assess cost-effectiveness to optimize evidence-based surgical decision-making.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037705066
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105037705066#tab=citedBy
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pone.0347763
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0347763
M3 - Article
C2 - 42060593
AN - SCOPUS:105037705066
SN - 1932-6203
VL - 21
JO - PloS one
JF - PloS one
IS - 4 April
M1 - e0347763
ER -