Postoperative hospitalization time in laparoscopic and laparotomic Roux-En-Y gastric bypass: a retrospective observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a growing problem both in Brazil and worldwide, and bariatric surgery is a well-established method for reducing weight and, consequently, reducing the risk of death attributed to cardiovascular and metabolic problems. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is currently the most popular surgical technique in Brazil, performed via either laparotomy or laparoscopy. AIMS: To compare the length of hospital stay after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass performed via laparoscopic and laparotomic approaches. METHODS: An observational study using retrospective data from medical records, comparing patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass by laparoscopy and patients operated on by laparotomy, with similar comorbidities. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 64 patients who underwent surgery: 31 via laparoscopy and 33 via laparotomy, of whom 84.4% were female, with a mean age of 44.1 (SD=10.1). 15.6% were male, with a mean age of 40.2 (SD=13.3). Among the four variables evaluated (sex, age, length of hospital stay, and type of surgery), the only statistically significant difference found was in the length of hospital stay according to each type of surgery, with patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastroplasty via laparoscopic approach remaining hospitalized for a mean of 2.45 days (SD=1.12), while those undergoing the same surgery via laparotomic approach remained hospitalized for a mean of 3.42 days (SD=1.17). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate a numerically and statistically significant difference in length of hospital stay between both surgical access routes for bariatric surgery, with a shorter stay observed in the laparoscopic approach. This information is relevant, as it has financial impact by reducing bed occupancy time and the costs arising from hospitalization.