INTRODUCTION : Minimally invasive liver surgery (MILS) has been increasingly adopted in clinical practice; yet, inter-surgeon variability in operative approach (MILS vs. open), as well as the impact of providers on the likelihood of undergoing MILS have not been well characterized.

METHODS : The Medicare 100% Standard Analytic Files were reviewed to identify Medicare beneficiaries who underwent hepatectomy between 2013 - 2017. The impact of patient- and procedure- related factors on the likelihood of MILS was investigated.

RESULTS : Overall 12,110 (91.6%) patients underwent open liver resection, while 1,112 (8.4%) patients had MILS. Based on total MILS volume, surgeons were categorized into average (1-3 cases), above average (4-7 cases) and high (>8 or more cases) MILS volume surgeons. While male patients (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.75-0.97) were less likely to undergo MILS, patients operated on more recently (year 2017; OR = 1.72, 95%CI 1.38-2.14) for a cancer indication (OR = 1.23, 95%CI 1.05-1.42) had a higher chance of MILS. After controlling for patient- and procedure-related characteristics, there was almost a two-fold variation in the odds that a patient underwent MILS versus open hepatectomy based on the individual surgeon provider (MOR = 1.75, 95%CI 1.48-1.99). Patients who had a MILS performed by a high-volume MILS surgeon had 36% lower odds of death within 90-days (OR = 0.64, 95%CI 0.51-0.79).

CONCLUSION : The likelihood of undergoing MILS, as well as post-operative mortality, was heavily influenced by the individual surgeon provider rather than patient- or procedure-related factors.