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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Splenectomy In Children: A Case Report with Literature Review
Published on: March 27, 2026
Robotic resection of mediastinal masses in children
John J Meehan1, Anthony D Sandler
1Division of Pediatric Surgery, Seattle Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. john.meechem@seattlechildrens.org
Purpose:
Robotic surgery may be particularly well suited for solid chest masses. In this paper, we present our initial experience by using robotic surgery to resect mediastinal masses in children.
Methods:
Five pediatric patients with an average age of 9.8 years (range, 2-17) and an average weight of 41.5 kg (range, 13.9-70.5) underwent a robotic resection of a mediastinal chest mass using the da Vinci Surgical Robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA).
Results:
Operative time ranged from 44 to 156 minutes, with an average of 113 minutes. The pathology varied considerably and included a ganglioneuroma, ganglioneuroblastoma, teratoma, germ cell tumor, and a large inflammatory mass of unclear etiology. No complications or conversions occurred. Average length of hospitalization was 1.4 days. Follow-up averaged 2 years, with no evidence of recurrence in any patient.
Conclusions:
Robotic surgery is safe and effective for resecting solid mediastinal chest masses. The articulating instruments are particularly helpful for dissecting around a solid mass within the rigid thoracic cavity.
