Robotic Mediastinal Tumor Resections: Position and Port Placement

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the optimal position and port placement during robotic resection for various mediastinal tumors. For anterior mediastinal tumors, total or extended thymectomy is commonly performed in the supine position using the lateral or subxiphoid approach. Although it is unclear which approach is better during robotic thymectomy, technical advantages of subxiphoid approach are beneficial for patients with myasthenia who require extended thymectomy. Partial thymectomy is performed in the supine position using a lateral approach. Superior, middle, and posterior mediastinal tumors are resected in the decubitus position using the lateral approach, whereas dumbbell tumor resection, which requires a posterior approach, can be performed in the prone position. The position and port placement should be chosen depending on the size, location, and aggressiveness of the tumor. In this study, we describe how to choose which of these different robotic approaches can be used based on our experience and previous reports.

Efficacy of using Maryland forceps versus electrocoagulation hooks in da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic mediastinal tumor resection

“…When the tumors gradually increase in size, they may produce compression symptoms on the surrounding tissues and organs, and are often treated clinically by surgery [1,2]. With the continuous development of minimally invasive technology, the minimally invasive surgical operation system represented by robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has been widely used in mediastinal tumor resection [3][4][5]. Two most commonly used energy instruments in current robotic surgical systems are EH and MF.…”

Personalized Medicine in Thoracic Surgery: The Role and Future of Robotic-Assisted Techniques

“…<Tailoring RATS for diverse mediastinal tumor settings> Building on the concept of personalized surgical approaches, the second paper, from Okazaki et al, discusses the benefits of RATS for different types of mediastinal tumors, including anterior, superior, middle, and posterior mediastinal tumors [3]. The authors emphasize that the position and port placement should be chosen based on the tumor's size, location, and aggressiveness.…”