Largest single-institution series of robotic pneumonectomy

Minimally invasive pneumonectomy via robotic or video-assisted platforms is not yet widely adopted. Rates of conversion-to-thoracotomy and 90-day mortality are reported at 30%-50% and 12%, respectively. We describe our experience with the largest single-institution consecutive series of robotic pneumonectomy.

This is a retrospective review of prospective database of a consecutive (non-selected) series of patients who underwent robotic pneumonectomy from January 2019 to December 2024 at our institution.

There were 21 patients (67% male) with median age 70 (range 15-79), DLCO 76% (range 48%-106%), and FEV1 76% (range 44%-126%). Indication for pneumonectomy was cancer in 17 patients (81%), of which 15 (88%) had a primary lung cancer. Four patients (19%) had destroyed lung from infection, and six (29%) underwent completion pneumonectomy. Thirteen (76%) of the 17 cancer patients had neoadjuvant therapy, including chemotherapy (11 patients), immunotherapy (10 patients), and radiation therapy (6 patients). A robotic approach was selected for all patients, with planned conversion-to-open in two patients (9%). There were no intraoperative transfusions. Median chest tube duration was one day (range 1-4). Median length of stay was five days (range 1-25). Thirty-day readmission was 19% (4 patients). Thirty-day morbidity was 19%, including atrial fibrillation in two patients, hemothorax in one patient, and chylothorax in one patient. Thirty-day mortality was 0% and 90-day mortality was 5% (one patient).

Pneumonectomy can be performed safely and effectively robotically even in high-risk patients with previous ipsilateral thoracotomy and/or neoadjuvant chemo-, immuno-, or radio-therapy. We demonstrate that a robotic approach enables minimal unplanned conversion-to-thoracotomy, no blood transfusions and excellent short-term outcomes. Our pre-, intra- and post-operative strategies are shared.