Robot assisted thoracic surgery: a review of current literature

Background: Minimally invasive surgical approaches are generally desired and recommended for many thoracic procedures as they preserve function and allow for more rapid recovery of patients. Despite these advantages, the adaptation has been poor. The robotic approach allowing more intuitive movement, greater flexibility, and high definition 3D vision appears to encourage surgeons to adapt the technique. Methods: This review examines the recent English lit of the early surgical experience of the da Vinci robotic system in the treatment of lung cancer, esophageal resection and mediastinal pathology. Conclusion: The application of robotic technology to thoracic surgery has proven to be at least comparable to open or video assisted thoracoscopic techniques in several areas and in some, possibly superior. If the widespread application of robotic technology allows greater access to minimally invasive thoracic surgery, with equivalent or superior oncological and perioperative outcomes, then it seems logical that robotic technique will become the standard for many general thoracic surgical procedures.