Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery thymectomy

Abstract

In recent decades, mediastinal surgery has undergone radical innovations. In fact, introduction of minimally invasive methods, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), showed several clinical benefits over median sternotomy. Recently the introduction of robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) has added more technological advantages in mediastinal dissection such as 3-dimensional (3D) vision and multi-articulated instruments. We agree with many authors about the advantages of RATS for the treatment of patients with thymomas and patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) resistant to medical treatment, but actually we express concerns about the high costs of this procedure. Furthermore we are waiting for long term clinical and oncological outcomes compared with trans-sternal or VATS approach. Here we report our series experience.

Keywords: Robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS); myasthenia gravis (MG); thymectomy.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1

Left side approach by three-port access, with 12-mm incision made lateral to the pectoralis major muscle in the fifth intercostal space for the camera port.

Figure 2

Hybrid robotic-assisted surgery (9): giant thymoma excision. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) scan showed well circumscribed thymoma with large diameter. The video shows the complete surgical excision of the tumour with closure of four thymic veins using hem-o-lok clips. Available online: http://www.asvide.com/articles/1780