HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Franca M.A. Melfi Carlo Alberto Angeletti Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Melfi, F. M.A. Articles by Angeletti, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Melfi, F. M.A. Articles by Angeletti, C. A. Related Collections Lung - other Chest wall

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2002;21:864-868
© 2002 Elsevier Science NL

Early experience with robotic technology for thoracoscopic surgery

Division of Thoracic Surgery, Cardiac and Thoracic Department, University of Pisa, Via Paradisa 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Received 14 September 2001; received in revised form 1 February 2002; accepted 11 February 2002.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39-50-995211; fax: +39-50-995-7239
e-mail: f.melfi{at}med.unipi.it

Objective: Recently, robots have been introduced into surgical procedures in an attempt to facilitate surgical performance. The purpose of this study was to develop a technique to perform thoracoscopic lung resection using a telemanipulation system. Methods: We have used a robotic system to perform thoracoscopic surgery in 12 cases: five lobectomies, three tumor enucleations, three excisions and one bulla stitching completed with fibrin glue for spontaneous pneumothorax. The operations were performed using the Intuitive Microsurgical system (Da Vinci System) through three ports and, a fourth space ‘service entrance’ incision, in the major lung resection. Results: Three procedures begun with the robotic technique were completed by a minimal thoracotomy. No technical operative mishaps were associated with the manoeuvres of robotic arms. In all manoeuvres (up, down, insertion, extraction, etc.), the robotic arms moved appropriately in the favorable operative fields. All patients tolerated the procedure well and the post-operative course was satisfactory, requiring few analgesics. Conclusions: Although further studies on robotically assisted procedures are needed to clarify the clinical feasibility of this procedure, the results in our cases are encouraging. We believe that thoracoscopic procedures using a robotic manipulation system may be technically feasible in selected cases and in the hands of experienced thoracic surgeons.

Key Words: Robotic surgery • Thoracoscopy • Video-assisted thoracoscopy

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. Waseda, N. Ishikawa, M. Oda, I. Matsumoto, Y. Ohta, N. Inaki, Y. Hirano, and G. Watanabe Robot-assisted endoscopic airway reconstruction in rabbits, with the aim to perform robot-assisted thoracoscopic bronchoplasty in human subjects. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., October 1, 2007; 134(4): 989 - 995. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. Rea, G. Marulli, L. Bortolotti, P. Feltracco, A. Zuin, and F. Sartori Experience With the "Da Vinci" Robotic System for Thymectomy in Patients With Myasthenia Gravis: Report of 33 Cases Ann. Thorac. Surg., February 1, 2006; 81(2): 455 - 459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. J. Park, R. M. Flores, and V. W. Rusch Robotic assistance for video-assisted thoracic surgical lobectomy: Technique and initial results J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., January 1, 2006; 131(1): 54 - 59. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Mohr, G. S. Nadzam, and M. J. Curet Totally Robotic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Arch Surg, August 1, 2005; 140(8): 779 - 786. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. M.A. Melfi, M. C. Ambrogi, M. Lucchi, and A. Mussi Video robotic lobectomy MMCTS, June 28, 2005; 2005(0628): 448. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Bodner, H. Wykypiel, A. Greiner, W. Kirchmayr, M. C. Freund, R. Margreiter, and T. Schmid Early experience with robot-assisted surgery for mediastinal masses Ann. Thorac. Surg., July 1, 2004; 78(1): 259 - 265. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Hashizume and K. Tsugawa Robotic Surgery and Cancer: the Present State, Problems and Future Vision Jpn. J. Clin. Oncol., May 1, 2004; 34(5): 227 - 237. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. Bodner, H. Wykypiel, G. Wetscher, and T. Schmid First experiences with the da VinciTM operating robot in thoracic surgery Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., May 1, 2004; 25(5): 844 - 851. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Iwasaki, K. Okabayashi, and T. Shirakusa A model to assist training in thoracoscopic surgery Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, December 1, 2003; 2(4): 697 - 701. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. C. Giulianotti, A. Coratti, M. Angelini, F. Sbrana, S. Cecconi, T. Balestracci, and G. Caravaglios Robotics in General Surgery: Personal Experience in a Large Community Hospital Arch Surg, July 1, 2003; 138(7): 777 - 784. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Morgan, M. E. Ginsburg, J. R. Sonett, D. L.S. Morales, T. Kohmoto, L. A. Gorenstein, C. R. Smith, and M. Argenziano Advanced thoracoscopic procedures are facilitated by computer-aided robotic technology Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., June 1, 2003; 23(6): 883 - 887. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]