UNMC study: Laparoscopy better, even for high-risk patients

Study presentation The CAST team presented on the study at the recent 12th World Congress of Endoscopic Surgery. The team was composed of : Manish Tiwari, M.D., Ph.D., research associate; Jason Reynoso, M.D., surgery house officer; Albert Tsang, M.D., surgery house officer; and Dmitry Oleynikov, M.D., associate professor of surgery and CAST director. View their presentation.

Laparoscopic surgery trumps open operations in common procedures, even in high risk patients, a study performed by UNMC Center for Advanced Surgical Technology (CAST) shows.

The study challenges a common preconception about laparoscopic procedures — namely that they should be avoided in high-risk patients.

The study results show that when performed laparoscopically, common procedures including gall bladder removal, appendix removal, gastric bypass and ventral hernia repair nearly always result in better outcomes than open operation procedures.

The study has significant implications for how surgeons treat high-risk surgical patients.