Robotic thoracic surgery using the single-port robotic system: Initial experience with more than 100 cases.

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Thoracic Surgery
• Robotic Surgery

Background:

• The da Vinci single-port robotic surgical system offers a minimally invasive approach to thoracic procedures.
• Initial clinical experiences with this system are crucial for understanding its application and outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the initial surgical experiences and outcomes of 115 patients undergoing robotic thoracic surgery.
• To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the da Vinci single-port system across diverse thoracic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 115 patients who underwent robotic thoracic surgery between November 2020 and June 2023.
• Procedures included thymectomy, mediastinal mass excision, pulmonary resection, esophagectomy, and esophageal tumor enucleation.
• Patient characteristics, operative times, chest tube duration, and postoperative outcomes were assessed.

Main Results:

• The study encompassed 41 thymectomies, 13 mediastinal mass excisions, 54 pulmonary resections, 5 esophagectomies, and 2 esophageal tumor enucleations.
• No conversions to thoracotomy or sternotomy were required; one conversion to video-assisted thoracic surgery and two instances of additional port use occurred.
• Two patients experienced postoperative complications exceeding grade IIIa, indicating a high safety profile.

Conclusions:

• Robotic thoracic surgery with the da Vinci single-port system is a feasible and safe option for a wide range of thoracic surgeries.
• The system is effective even for complex procedures like anatomical pulmonary resection and esophagectomy.
• Advancements in robotic instrumentation will likely expand the capabilities for even more complex thoracic surgeries.