Cumulative experience of the anterior approach in robot-assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer patients

Initial perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy using a confronting setting

PURPOSE

Most robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) is performed from the vertical view. This study evaluates the initial outcomes of our novel confronting RATS technique, in which the patient was viewed horizontally, as in open thoracotomy.

METHODS

We reviewed data on patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy between January, 2019 and April, 2022. Perioperative outcomes were compared between RATS and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), using propensity-score matching.

RESULTS

RATS and VATS were performed for 83 and 571 patients, respectively. After propensity-score matching, data on 81 patients from each of the two groups were retrieved. The operative time was significantly longer for RATS than for VATS (199 ± 44 min vs. 173 ± 37 min, p < 0.001). There was no mortality or conversion to thoracotomy in either of the groups. The rates of overall complications and prolonged air leak did not differ significantly between the groups. The serum creatine phosphokinase level on postoperative day 4 was higher after RATS than after VATS. The number of resected lymph nodes and the rates of nodal upstaging did not differ significantly between the groups.

CONCLUSION

The initial perioperative outcomes of RATS using the confronting settings were comparable to those of VATS.

Port Placement Variations for Robotic Lung Resection: Focusing on Their History, Conventional Look-Up-View and Horizontal Open-Thoracotomy-View Techniques, and More

This is a narrative review that summarizes the variations in approaches and port placements used for performing robotic lung resections on the da Vinci Surgical Platforms. Currently, the four-arm, look-up-view method, in which the intrathoracic cranial side is viewed from the caudal side, is considered the mainstream approach worldwide. Several variations were devised from this conventional technique, including the so-called horizontal open-thoracotomy-view techniques in which the intrathoracic craniocaudal axis is aligned with the horizontal direction of the console monitor, and fewer port and incision techniques. In September 2022, 166 reports were surveyed using a PubMed English literature search, and this review finally included 30 reports describing the approaches. We categorized the variations into four-phase groups considering advent histories: (I) early era, three-arm technique with utility incisions; (II) four-arm, total port technique without robotic staplers; (III) four-arm technique using robotic staplers; (IV) maximizing the functional features of the Xi, significant alterations in viewing directions, and reducing ports, including the ultimate uniport technique. To comprehensibly visualize these variations for practical use, we created elaborate illustrations based on the literature. The familiarity of thoracic surgeons with the variations and characteristics allows them to choose the optimal procedure that best suits each patient and their preferences.

Three-Arm Robotic Lung Resection via the Open-Thoracotomy-View Approach Using Vertical Port Placement and Confronting Monitor Setting: Focusing on Segmentectomy

To perform robotic lung resections with views similar to those in thoracotomy, we devised a vertical port placement and confronting upside-down monitor setting: the three-arm, robotic “open-thoracotomy-view approach (OTVA)”. We described the robotic OTVA experiences focusing on segmentectomy and its technical aspects. We retrospectively reviewed 114 consecutive patients who underwent robotic lung resections (76 lobectomies and 38 segmentectomies) with OTVA using the da Vinci Xi Surgical System between February 2019 and June 2022. To identify segmental boundaries, we administered indocyanine green intravenously and used the robotic fluorescence imaging system (Firefly). In all procedures, cranial-side intrathoracic structures, which are often hidden in the conventional look-up-view method, were well visualized. The mean durations of surgery and console operation were 195 and 140 min, respectively, and 225 and 173 min, for segmentectomy and lobectomy, respectively. In segmentectomy, console operation was significantly shorter (approximately 30 min, p < 0.001) and two more staplers (8.2 ± 2.3) were used compared with lobectomy (6.6 ± 2.6, p = 0.003). In both groups, median postoperative durations of chest tube placement and hospitalization were 0 and 3 days, respectively. This three-arm robotic OTVA setting offers natural thoracotomy views and can be an alternative for segmentectomy and lobectomy.