Is robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy non-inferior to open pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with high PD-ROBOSCORE?

Introduction: Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) is associated with technical challenges that may result in intraoperative and postoperative complications. Some previous reports and the recently published PD-ROBOSCORE describe several factors associated with an increased difficulty. The aim of this study is to investigate whether difficult RPD patients have a better outcome when operated by open approach (OPD).

Methods: All patients undergoing robotic and open PD from January 2020 to June 2024 with high PD-ROBOSCORE were included. Preoperative pancreatitis and/or cholangitis, and tumor contact with PV-SMV were also analysed. Outcomes of RPD vs OPD were compared.

Results: 45 RPD and 57 OPD patients with high PD-ROBOSCORE were considered for this study. Median age was 68.5 years (68 RPD vs 65 OPD; p = 0.25), median BMI was 27 kg/m² (27 RPD vs 28 OPD; p = 0.13), 65.6% of patients were male (60.0% RPD vs 70.2% OPD; p = 0.15) and median PD-ROBOSCORE was 10 (10 RPD vs 9 OPD, p = 0.145). POPF occurred in 37.2% (40.0% RPD vs 35.1% OPD; p = 0.668), CD ≥ 3 was 25.4% (28.8% RPD vs 22.8% OPD; p = 0.477), median CCI was 20.9 (20.5 RPD vs 20.9 OPD; p = 0.752), reoperation rate was 17.6% (15.5% RPD vs 19.3% OPD; p = 0.496). Hospital stay was 15 days (16 RPD vs 13 OPD; p = 0.583). Of patients developing POPF; 76.3% had soft pancreas, 84.2% had pancreatic duct ≤ 2 mm and 97.2% had BMI ≥ 25.

Conclusion: RPD seems to be non-inferior to OPD in patients with increased technical complexity. Most of these complications are related to fistula risk factors (high BMI, soft pancreas and small pancreatic duct) and not directly related with other technical difficulty factors.