Robotic Thymectomy

Fri, 15 Dec 2023

Robotic Thymectomy

With the advent of robotic surgery, which is truly minimally invasive one can achieve the effectiveness of a transsternal approach without the trauma associated with going through the breast bone.
Using a da Vinci Surgical System, robotic equipment manufactured by Intuitive Surgical, Inc., surgeons can work with three or four incisions of 8-12 mm.

Robotic Thymectomy Surgery

The da Vinci Surgical System is powered by state-of-the-art robotic technology. The System allows the surgeons hand movements to be scaled, filtered, and translated into precise movements of micro-instruments within the operative site.

The da Vinci System enhances surgical capabilities by enabling the performance of complex surgeries through tiny surgical openings. The System cannot be programmed, nor can it make decisions on its own i.e. it works on the "Master-Slave Concept".

The da Vinci System requires that every surgical maneuver be performed with direct input from your surgeon. The da Vinci Surgical System has been successfully used in tens of thousands of minimally invasive procedures worldwide.

In Robotic Thymectomy, the surgeon sits at the console and operates using miniaturized instruments with highly flexible joints to perform the most delicate aspects of thymectomy in a very precise manner. Guided by a high resolution, three-dimensional thoracoscopic view, the operating surgeon can visualize the entire thymus. This can be crucial, especially to see the exact position of the thymus tissue and avoid cutting the nearby crucial structures. Good vision is also essential for completely dissecting the thymic horns, the top portion of the thymus that extends into the neck.

In particular, the combination of the surgeon-controlled camera, the computer-enhanced clarity of the image, and the dexterity of the miniaturized robotic surgical instruments easily overcome the tight operating space around the thymus and provide the precision necessary to safely navigate a complete thymectomy.