Analysis of initial results of robotic surgery for general thoracic surgery

Abstract

Robotic surgery for general thoracic surgery is still basic. We performed 25 cases of robotic surgery using the da Vinci S robotic system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., CA, USA), and obtained favorable results in our hospital for a year from January 2011. Operative procedures for 14 cases of primary lung cancer comprised 5 right upper lobectomies, including: 1 wedge bronchoplasty, 3 right middle lobectomies including 1 combined partial resection of the upper lobe, 2 right lower lobectomies, 3 left upper lobectomies, and 1 left basal segmentectomy. The mean operative time was 323.1 minutes (console time: 245.7 minutes) and the amount of bleeding was 92.1 ml. There were two postoperative complications: atrial fibrillation and acute cholecystitis. Eleven thymectomies were performed. There were 5 cases of myasthenia gravis (2 with thymoma), 2 of thymoma, 2 of Castleman disease, 1 of teratoma, and 1 thymic cyst. The mean operative time was 207.4 minutes (console time: 148.5 minutes), and the amount of bleeding was 9.8 ml. Postoperatively, one chylothorax occurred in a case of extended thymectomy for myasthenia gravis with invasive thymoma. The advantages of robotic surgery were excellent visualization using the three-dimensional scope and accurate manipulation by robotic forceps with articulation. The early establishment of robotic surgery as an optional technique for general thoracic surgery is expected.