Robotic sleeve lobectomy with bronchoplasty for primary squamous cell carcinoma of the left upper lobe

Sleeve lobectomy with bronchoplasty is a complex but lung-preserving operation, often requiring open thoracotomy. Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery offers enhanced visualization and instrument dexterity, enabling such procedures to be performed with minimal invasiveness. We report a case of a 75-year-old man with squamous cell carcinoma located in the lingual segment of the left upper lobe, which invaded to the entrance of left upper lobe bronchus. The tumour was staged as cT2aN0M0. Due to its central location, robotic left upper sleeve lobectomy with bronchoplasty was selected. A five-port approach was used. Pulmonary vessels of the left upper lobe were dissected and divided using robotic staplers. After sleeve resection of the bronchus, bronchial reconstruction was performed using a continuous barbed suture, and the anastomosis was reinforced with a pericardial fat pad and fibrin sealant. The console time was 267 minutes with minimal blood loss. The chest tube was removed on postoperative Day 1, and the patient was discharged on Day 5 without complications. Pathology confirmed pT2aN0M0 squamous cell carcinoma with negative margins. Robotic left upper sleeve lobectomy with bronchoplasty is feasible and safe in selected patients, providing the advantages of minimally invasive surgery without compromising oncological outcomes.