Tackling complex thoracic surgical operations with robotic solutions: a narrative review

Abstract

Background and Objective The adoption of robotic surgery for general thoracic surgery has rapidly progressed over the last two decades from its application in basic operations to complex pathologies. As such, the purpose of this narrative review is to highlight the collective experience of tackling complex thoracic surgical operations with minimally invasive robotic solutions. Methods Electronic searches of PubMed were conducted for each subtopic, using specific keywords and inclusion criteria. Once identified, the articles were screened through the abstract, introduction, results and conclusion for relevancy, and included based on a standard narrative review inclusion criteria. Key Content and Findings The role of the robotic approach has increased in thoracic outlet syndrome, chest wall resection, tracheobronchomalacia, airway and sleeve lung surgery, lobectomy after neoadjuvant therapy, complex segmentectomy, giant paraesophageal hernia repair, esophagectomy and esophageal enucleation, mediastinal masses and thymectomy and lung transplantation. Robotic surgery has several advantages when compared to video-assisted and open thoracoscopic surgery. These include better pain control and aesthetic outcome, improved handling of complex anatomy, enhanced access to lymph nodes, and faster recovery rates. Although it is associated with longer operative time, robotic surgery has comparable morbidity rates. Conclusions The robotic approach to complex thoracic problems is safe, effective, and associated with improved patient outcomes. To encourage wider adoption of robotic technology, increased training and expanded research efforts are essential, alongside improved worldwide access to this technology.

National trends, safety, and effectiveness of minimally invasive concomitant chest wall resection for locally advanced lung cancer

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Loco-Regional Anesthesia for Pain Management in Robotic Thoracic Surgery

“…Robotic surgery has revolutionized the field of minimally invasive surgery, allowing for enhanced precision, improved range of motion, and better visualization of the surgical field [ 1 , 2 ] while offering equivalent surgical radicality than open surgery [ 3 ]. In particular, thoracic surgery particularly benefits from these advancements [ 4 , 5 ]. This approach typically results in less postoperative pain, reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recovery compared to the traditional open surgery [ 6 ].…”