Robotic lung cancer surgery: from simple to complex, from surgery to clinical study

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.

Robotic open-thoracotomy-view approach using vertical port placement and confronting monitor setting

 

OBJECTIVES

Robotic lung resections (RLRs) are conventionally performed using look-up views of the thorax from the caudal side. To conduct RLR with views similar to those in open thoracotomy, we adopted a vertical port placement and confronting upside-down monitor setting, which we called robotic 'open-thoracotomy-view approach'. We herein present our experience of this procedure.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 58 patients who underwent RLR (43 with lobectomy; 15 with segmentectomy) with 3-arm open-thoracotomy-view approach using the da Vinci Surgical System between February 2019 and October 2020. The patient cart was rolled in from the left cranial side of the patient regardless of the side to be operated on. Robotic ports were vertically placed along the axillary line, and 2 confronting monitors and 2 assistants were positioned on each side of the patient. The right-side monitor, which was set up for the left-side assistant to view, projected the upside-down image of the console surgeon's view.

RESULTS

All procedures were safely performed. The median duration of surgery and console operation was 215 and 164 min, respectively. Emergency conversion into thoracotomy and severe morbidities did not occur, and the median postoperative hospitalization duration was 3 days. In all procedures, the console surgeon and 2 assistants had direct 'bird-eye' views of the cranially located intrathoracic structures and instrument tips, which are sometimes undetectable with the conventional look-up view.

CONCLUSIONS

The open-thoracotomy-view approach setting is a possible option for RLR. It offers natural thoracotomy views and can circumvent some of the known limitations of the conventional procedure.