Robotic resection of a bronchogenic cyst.

Abstract

We present the case of the robotic resection of a bronchogenic cyst in a 25-year-old man. The mass, which was 3.5 x 2.4 x 4.4 cm, was picked up on a computed tomography scan performed after a motor vehicle accident. The mass was bordered by multiple thoracic structures like the oesophagus, pericardium, lung and airways. The cyst was first freed from its adherence to the vagus nerve. A combination of bipolar cautery and blunt dissection was used. Then, the mass was also separated from the bronchus intermedius, followed by its posterior attachment to the oesophagus and its infero-posterior attachment to the pericardium. During its separation from the oesophagus, the cyst was opened and evacuated from the inside. This step was particularly important because the cyst was visualized from the inside and was confirmed to have no communication with the oesophagus. The cyst was confirmed to have had all its contents suctioned appropriately. Following its separation from the pericardium, which was done intricately using bipolar cautery to limit potential injury to the pericardium, the mass was put in an anchor bag and removed from the chest. The patient's postoperative course was unremarkable, and he made a full recovery.