robotic lobectomy
Robotic Lobectomy Surgery
Robotic lung surgery involves the removal of a lobe of the right or left lung using the robot and is called a robotic lobectomy. It is an effective treatment option for patients with cancer of the lung in the early stage.
How is Robotic Lung Surgery done?
Robotic surgery involves a specially equipped operation theatre and the involvement of skilled and trained support staff. The patient is under general anesthesia under the constant supervision of an anesthetist.
Surgical steps:.
Four tiny incisions are placed on the patient. Through the incisions, multiple small instruments placed and also the camera called scope. The instruments are attached to the DaVinci arms. At a console which is at a short distance from the patient, the surgeon controls the robot’s movements. The involved lobe is separated from the rest of the normal lung and removed from a tiny incision. The lymph nodes surrounding the disease are also removed. After the surgery, the incisions are retrieved and wounds are closed.How is Robotic Lung Surgery in comparison to Open Surgery?
An open lobectomy is performed via a thoracotomy or sometimes sternotomy and is much more invasive than a robotic lung surgery. Open surgery involves making an incision that is considerably longer on the side of the patient’s chest called a thoracotomy after spreading the patient’s ribs. The other route is sternotomy which involves the splitting of the sternum also known as breast bone to open the chest. They are usually performed with cancers that are in an advanced stage. Patients with early lung cancer are all candidates for robotic lung surgery. When large incisions are placed they cause trauma and pain to the body. These patients need more time to recover after surgery when they undergo thoracotomy and sternotomy.
What is the Course after a Robotic Lobectomy?
- NThere is a lesser hospital stay, with most patients being discharged four days after surgery.
- NThe pain is much less after surgery
- NPatients can return to work at earlier date.
- NEven geriatric patients can recover earlier after robotic lobectomy surgery.
How does Robotic Lung Surgery perform over Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery?
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is also a less invasive option compared to open surgery called VATS. It involves placing multiple small incisions on the side of the chest. VATS is a difficult surgery to perform which involves multiple rigid instruments placed through incisions while the vison is on a flat screen monitor. In robotic surgery, we use instruments that have more dexterity and flexibility, which mimic human hand movements especially those of the wrist. These instruments give more precision to the surgeon to operate more intuitively. The vision is also much better in terms of magnification and three-dimensional vision.Benefits of robotic surgery over VATS
- NSurgical instruments used have better dexterity and flexibility.
- NBetter vision of structures like Pulmonary vessels and bronchus.
- NBetter movements and dissection which can be performed with more precision.