Maintaining Surgical Principles While Transitioning From Multiport to Single-port Robotic Thymectomy

Abstract

Thymectomy is a treatment option for new-onset or treatment-resistant myasthenia gravis in patients with muscle-type acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies, and it is the standard treatment of early-stage thymomas. However, patients with severe forms, particularly those with titin and ryanodine receptor antibodies, may require long-term immunosuppressive therapy instead. The optimal approach to thymectomy remains debated, with minimally invasive techniques like video-assisted and robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery offering better perioperative outcomes. Single-port robot-assisted thymectomy has emerged as a safe alternative, allowing a single subxiphoid incision and affording the inherent benefits of the robotic platform. This study describes our approach to single-port robot-assisted thymectomy using a subxiphoid incision.