Examining the potential of advanced robotic-assisted thoracic surgery in pediatric cases

INTRODUCTION: Robotic-assisted surgery has demonstrated safety and feasibility in numerous pediatric cases. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of literature regarding advanced pediatric thoracic robotic surgery (APTRS). The objective of this study was to present our experience with APTRS in 31 patients.
METHODS: From October 2020 to December 2023, a total of 31 APTRS procedures were conducted at our institution. A retrospective analysis was carried out, encompassing demographics, indications for surgery, console time, complication rates, length of hospital stay, and postoperative complications.
RESULTS: 31 patients (M/F: 13/18) underwent robotic-assisted surgery, with procedures including thoracic mass excision in 17 cases, esophageal surgery in 8 cases, and various other pathologies in 5 patients. The average age at the time of surgery was 8.4±5.2 years (10 months-17 years), and the average weight was 29.6±18.4 kg (10-65 kg). The mean console time was 165.6±124.8 minutes, with no instances of conversion. The median length of hospital stay was 3.5 days (1-30 days). Postoperative complications occurred in eight patients (25.8%).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Our experience in pediatric robotic thoracic surgery reinforces its suitability even for complex cases. Robotic thoracic surgery appears to offer benefits, particularly in posterior mediastinal mass excision and esophagectomy for corrosive esophageal strictures, when compared to thoracoscopy.