Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 6, 2026
Subcostal Specimen Removal in Completely Portal Robotic Lobectomy
Published on: April 19, 2024
Quality of Lymph Node Dissection in Lung Cancer Surgery: A Comparative Analysis of Robotic-Assisted Versus
Adrien Deceuninck1, Pierre-Alain Thiebaut1, Michael Bubenheim2
1Department of Pathology, UNIROUEN, INSERM U1245, CHU Rouen, Normandy University, Rouen, France.
Background:
Lymph node dissection is essential for lung cancer staging and treatment planning. This study compares the extent and quality of lymph node dissection between robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).
Methods:
In this prospective cohort study, 40 patients undergoing oncologic lobectomy via RATS (n = 20) or VATS (n = 20) were included. We assessed the number of explored lymph node stations, dissected nodes, and microscopic integrity criteria.
Results:
RATS resulted in a higher median number of explored stations (5 vs. 4; p = 0.0375) and resected nodes (8 vs. 6; p = 0.0432). However, no significant differences were found in the microscopic quality criteria.
Conclusions:
RATS enables broader lymph node dissection but does not improve microscopic quality compared with VATS. These findings highlight the need for further studies to assess clinical outcomes.
