1000 Robotic-assisted lobectomies for primary lung cancer: 16 years single center experience

This study aimed at describing our high-volume single center experience in robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) to evaluate short outcome and feasibility of the technique, the adequacy of oncological results, and the learning curve.

We retrospectively analyzed data from 1000 consecutive patients who underwent lobectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy for primary lung cancer using RATS approach between May 2007 and May 2023.

Nine-hundred ninety-seven patients (99.7 %) underwent lobectomy, whereas 3 (0.03 %) patients bilobectomy. Conversion rate to open surgery was 3.7 %. Minor complications occurred in 213 (21.3 %) patients, major complications in 29 patients (2.9 %). The 30-day and 90-day operative mortality was 0 % and 0.1 %, respectively. The median number of N1 + N2 stations resected was 5 (range 0-9), with a median number of 17 of N1 + N2 lymph nodes resected (range 0-55). The oncological outcome was evaluated only on the subgroup of patients (n = 895) with non-small cell lung cancer. Pathological lymph node upstaging from cN0 to pN1/pN2 was evident in 147 patients (17.3 %): 9 % from cN0 to pN1 and 7.1 % from cN0 to pN2. With a median follow-up of 3.9, 5-year OS and DFS were respectively 89.3 % and 83.6 % for stage I, 74 % and 66.5 % for stage II, and 61 % and 36.4 % for stage IIIA.

Better vision and excellent instrument maneuverability of the robotic surgical system allowed excellent results in terms of early, adequate oncological outcome comparable to open surgery literature data, and acceptable learning curve.

1000 consecutive patients who underwent lobectomy and systematic lymphadenectomy for primary lung cancer using RATS approach have been analyzed with the aim to describe our high-volume single center experience, and to evaluate short outcome and feasibility of the technique, the adequacy of oncological results, and the learning curve.