To evaluate the safety and outcomes of robotic lung resection after neoadjuvant therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Key Findings:
No unplanned conversions to open thoracotomy or from lobectomy to pneumonectomy.
Median operative time was 152 minutes with median blood loss of 20 mL.
Median length of stay was 1 day; 28% of patients had chest tubes removed on the day of surgery.
21 patients experienced Clavien-Dindo grade III complications, primarily atrial fibrillation and effusion.
No 30-day mortalities and two 90-day mortalities were reported.
Median postoperative survival was 513 days with a follow-up of 19 months.
Interpretation:
Robotic lobectomy and pneumonectomy after neoadjuvant therapy are safe, with low conversion rates and minimal mortality, suggesting feasibility of minimally invasive approaches in this patient population.
Limitations:
Retrospective design may introduce selection bias.
Single-center study limits generalizability of findings.
Conclusion:
Robotic lung resection can be performed safely after neoadjuvant therapy, with favorable outcomes and low complication rates.
