Objective:

To compare the short-term efficacy of robot-assisted and uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (U-VATS) for right upper lobectomy in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Key Findings:

• No statistically significant differences in baseline data between the two groups (P > 0.05).
• R0 resection rate was higher in the da Vinci robot group (86.00%) compared to U-VATS (73.47%).
• No significant differences in surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, chest tube drainage, duration of drainage tube placement, and length of postoperative hospital stay (P > 0.05).
• Higher number of lymph node dissections in the da Vinci robot group (P < 0.05).
• Postoperative complications showed no significant difference between groups (P > 0.05).
• Survival rate was 89.80% in U-VATS and 96.00% in the da Vinci robot group, with no statistical significance (P > 0.05).

Interpretation:

Da Vinci robot-assisted right upper lobectomy demonstrates similar safety and operability compared to U-VATS, with a significantly higher number of lymph node dissections.

Limitations:

• Study limited to a single hospital.
• Short follow-up period may not capture long-term outcomes.

Conclusion:

Da Vinci robot-assisted surgery shows comparable short-term outcomes to U-VATS for early-stage NSCLC, with advantages in lymph node dissection.