Short-term outcomes of minimally invasive gastrectomy in population with obesity versus population without obesity: the obesity paradox

This study aims to compare the short-term outcomes after minimally invasive gastrectomy between obese and non-obese population. Our analysis included data of 713 patients from ten departments of surgery. They were divided in non-obese group and obese group with 617 and 96 patients respectively. Significant differences were found in terms of mortality at 90 days (obese: 0 vs non-obese: 27, p = 0.037). Intraoperative data showed no significant differences in terms of conversion (obese: 4 vs non-obese: 43, p = 0.303). About postoperative complications, significant differences between the two groups were found only in terms of surgical infection (obese: 13 vs non-obese: 38, p = 0.009). About oncological outcomes, no differences were found about retrieved lymph nodes (obese: 30.71 +/- 18.44 vs non-obese: 32.93 +/- 17.62, p = 0.596) and about surgical radicality (R0) (obese:94 vs non-obese:594, p = 0.415). Obesity doesn't worsen postoperative outcomes and minimally invasive gastrectomy in obese patients is related to a lower postoperative mortality.