Robotic Thoracic Surgery

Abstract

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery has improved outcomes, including reduced length of postoperative admission, reduced postoperative pain, shorter postoperative stay, reduced wound complications, reduced blood loss, improved cosmesis, and improved equivalent oncological outcomes compared to traditional thoracotomy. Robotic thoracic surgery (RTS) is an improvement on video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in that it allows the surgeon a greater degree of freedom with instrument movement and better surgical field visualization. Thoracic insufflation and one-lung ventilation both significantly alter and compromise the patient’s baseline cardiopulmonary physiology. Due to this, adequate preoperative workup, deftness at double-lumen endotracheal tube management, and advanced understanding of how RTS affects cardiopulmonary physiology are essential.