2019 Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 113-121
Objectives: This study aimed to report some problems of robotic surgery and differences between robotic surgery and conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.
Methods: From January to September 2018, intraoperative problems with robotic surgery were collected and analyzed retrospectively, and divided into known and unexpected problems.
Results: Of the 6 patients who underwent robotic surgery, the procedures were 3 lobectomies and 3 mediastinal tumor resections. The median age was 63 years old, the median intraoperative blood loss was 27.5 mL, the median operative time was 239 minutes, and the median console time was 112.5 minutes. Six intraoperative problems occurred using da Vinci. Of the 6 problems, there were 5 known problems and one unexpected problem. Of the 5 known problems, 4 were unavoidable or due to unclear solutions, but these could be overcome with experience in robotic surgery.
Conclusions: Robotic surgery has some differences and pitfalls compared with conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. To introduce safe robotic surgery, we should know da Vinci's features, disadvantages, and appropriate indications for robotic surgery, repeatedly conduct surgical simulations as part of a multidisciplinary robotic team, and share informative ways to solve problems among institutions.
