Minimally invasive thoracic surgery, including video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, has been proven to have an advantage over open thoracotomy with less pain, fewer postoperative complications, faster discharge, and better tolerance among elderly patients. We introduce a uniportal robot-assisted thoracoscopic double-sleeve lobectomy performed on a patient following neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Specialized instruments like customized trocars with a reduced diameter, bulldog clamps, and double-needle sutures were utilized to facilitate the maneuverability through the single incision.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe uniportal access for robotic thoracic surgery presents itself as a natural evolution of minimally invasive thoracic surgery (MITS). It was developed by surgeons who pioneered the uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (U-VATS) in all its aspects following the same principles of a single incision by using robotic technology. The robotic surgery was initially started as a hybrid procedure with the use of thoracoscopic staplers by the assistant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Cardiothorac Surg
March 2023
Background: Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has seen increasing interest in the last few years, with most procedures primarily being performed in the conventional multiport manner. Our team has developed a new approach that has the potential to convert surgeons from uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or open surgery to robotic-assisted surgery, uniportal-RATS (U-RATS). We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of one single incision, uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (U-RATS) against standard multiport RATS (M-RATS) with regards to safety, feasibility, surgical technique, immediate oncological result, postoperative recovery, and 30-day follow-up morbidity and mortality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUniportal robotic surgery was created by Dr. Diego Gonzalez-Rivas as a fusion of his decade of experience with uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and his recent experience with the Intuitive Robotic System. It represents, in his view, the natural evolution of the uniportal technique in the era of robotic surgery.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRobotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) has proven advantages over that of conventional thoracic surgery, primarily by offering a three-dimensional view and excellent maneuverability, and by providing great ergonomic comfort to the surgeon. The instrumentation specifically offers seven degrees of freedom, allowing for safe, yet complex dissections and radical lymphadenectomies. However, the robotic platform was initially designed with four robotic arms in mind, and therefore four to five incisions were needed for most thoracic approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is becoming the standard of care for anatomic lung resections. The advantages of the uniportal approach compared to the conventional multiple incision approach, multiportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (mVATS) and multiportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (mRATS), have been previously described. However, no research studies comparing early outcomes between uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (uVATS) and uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (uRATS) have been reported.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSince the first uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (uVATS) performed in 2010, the uniportal approach has evolved up to a point where even the most complex cases can be done. This is thanks to the experience acquired over the years, the specifically designed instruments and improvements in imaging. However, in these last few years, robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) has also shown progress and distinct advantages compared to the uniportal VATS approach, thanks to advanced maneuverability of the robotic arms as well as the three-dimensional (3D) view.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Cardiothorac Surg
August 2022
Pure uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (U-RATS) is the robotic thoracic surgery performed through a single intercostal incision, without rib spreading, using the robotic camera, robotic dissecting instruments and robotic staplers. Compared to multiport, U-RATS simplifies the management of possible intraoperative bleeding, mainly due to rapid undocking and the necessary uniportal experience of the surgeon. U-RATS offers a possible uniportal robotic surgical management of lung resections, with comfort for surgeons and quick and smooth recovery for patients.
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