Robot-assisted en bloc anterior mediastinal mass excision with pericardium and adjacent lung for locally advanced thymic carcinoma.

Abstract

Robot-assisted surgery for anterior mediastinal mass resection has been increasingly adopted as an alternative method to open sternotomy and conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery. However, more evidence is needed to expand the indication of this technique to more complicated cases. We present a case of robot-assisted en bloc resection of a 7-cm anterior mediastinal mass with pericardium and adjacent lung for thymic squamous cell carcinoma, accompanied by reconstruction of pericardium with polytetrafluoroethylene patch. In conclusion, complex anterior mediastinal mass excision is feasible with robotic thoracic surgery.