A Robotic Right Posterior Basal and Subsuperior (S10+S∗) Segmentectomy

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Minimally Invasive Surgery

Background:

• The subsuperior segment (S*) of the lung is small and often overlooked by thoracic surgeons.
• Subsuperior segmentectomy is infrequently reported due to its technical difficulty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a successful case of right posterior basal and subsuperior segmentectomy.
• To highlight the utility of a robotic approach for this challenging procedure.

Main Methods:

• A robotic approach was utilized for the right posterior basal and subsuperior segmentectomy.
• Preoperative 3-dimensional computed tomographic (3D CT) bronchography was performed for detailed anatomical assessment.

Main Results:

• The surgery was successfully completed with a sufficient surgical margin.
• The robotic approach facilitated the technically difficult segmentectomy.
• 3D CT bronchography aided in preventing anatomical misinterpretation during the procedure.

Conclusions:

• Robotic-assisted subsuperior segmentectomy is feasible and effective.
• Careful preoperative anatomical evaluation using 3D CT bronchography is essential for successful subsuperior segmentectomy.