Robotic Surgery in Thoracic Medicine: Revolutionizing Patient Care

Wed, 22 Jul 2026

Robotic surgery has brought transformative advancements to thoracic medicine and the management of conditions, particularly those needing thoracic surgery, by merging the precision of robotics with the skills of experienced surgeons.

In a world where medicine has advanced to new heights, it isn’t surprising that the advent of robotic-assisted surgeries in treatments like lung damage repair, chest trauma repair, mediastinal surgery, etc., has become the norm. Dr Arvind Kumar, a leading thoracic surgeon in India, is one of the few who leverages the power of robotic surgery to treat his patients.

This guide will explore everything you need to know about the significance of robotic surgery in thoracic medicine and surgery.

Robotic Surgery is a revolutionary new concept in surgery where a "robot" is interposed between the patient and the surgeon. The Surgeon carries out the operation through highly specialised instruments controlled by the arms of the robot.

The Current Robotic System (da Vinci Si HD System from Intuitive Surgicals, USA) consists of three components as shown below:

Applications of Robotic Surgery in Thoracic Medicine

The implementation of robotic surgery in thoracic surgery has revolutionised how surgeons can perform complex procedures with precision and accuracy.

Some of the common areas of application include:

Lung surgery

Robotic systems, including lung lobectomies and lung cancer resections, are increasingly used in lung surgery. These procedures benefit from the ability of robotic instruments to navigate delicate lung structures while minimising trauma to healthy tissues.

Esophageal Surgery

Not just for lung repair, the use of robot-assisted surgeries is equally fruitful for treating oesophagal damage and a variety of complications like oesophagal cancer, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and achalasia. The advanced visualisation and unmatched dexterity of robotic surgery are perfect for intricate procedures.

Mediastinal Surgery

The robotic-assisted techniques are effective in treating a variety of complex mediastinal procedures, including removing tumours, thymectomy, and lymph node dissections. The precision ensures safe surgical interventions with minimal complications.

Chest wall Surgery

Various chest wall surgeries, including repair of chest wall deformities, including pectus excavatum and pectus carinatum, can be done more precisely and quickly using robotic surgeries. Since they are minimally invasive, the recovery time is much shorter.

What are the Benefits of Robotic Assisted Surgeries?

Being the co-chairman of Medanta Robotic Institute and as a renowned thoracic surgeon with 40+ years of experience, Dr Arvind Kumar swears by the robotic-assisted surgeries for the wide range of benefits they provide for the patient and the surgeon.

Following are a few of those benefits worth highlighting:

• Minimally invasive – The robotic surgeries are minimally invasive and involve making smaller incisions, which ensure quicker recovery time and reduced pain.
• Enhanced precision – The accuracy of robotic surgery is impossible to achieve otherwise. It provides precise and controlled movements, allowing the surgeons to navigate intricate thoracic structures with minimal risk of complications.
• Improved visualisation – During surgeries, the surgeon’s field of view is often compromised. This is where robotic surgery steps into the picture, offering high-definition and 3D imaging, which provides the surgeon with a clearer view of the surgical field.
• Reduced blood loss - Robotic surgery often leads to less intraoperative bleeding, which is particularly significant in thoracic surgeries where minimising blood loss is crucial.
• Faster rehabilitation- Since robotic surgery is less invasive, post-operative recovery and healing take much less time. Patients also experience reduced pain and shorter hospital stays.

What to Expect Before a Robotic Surgery?

For optimal results from the surgery, it is best to be informed and take proper precautions before the procedure. Here’s what you can plan to set the right expectations before a robotic surgery:

• Talk to your doctor about whether the procedure is the best and most viable option to resolve your concerns.
• Collect information about the procedure, the necessary precautions before and after the surgery, and the expected recovery outlook. 
• Discuss the potential risks of the surgery and set clear expectations for the outcome.
• Inform the doctor about any prescribed or over-the-counter medications, supplements, or herbal medications you might be taking. The doctor may ask you to discontinue certain medications to prevent complications during or after the surgery.
• Avoid taking blood thinners or anti-clot medications at least a week before the surgery to ensure proper healing after the surgery.
• Talk to your doctor about any eating restrictions before the surgery. Typically, patients are asked to avoid the intake of any food or drinks at least 8 hours before the surgery.
• If you are having colon surgery, the doctor may give you a laxative to clear your gut before the surgery. 

What Happens During a Robotic Surgery?

Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure. The robotic arms can access different and difficult body parts even through small incisions. This makes the process more efficient and the recovery much simpler. Here’s what you can expect during a robotic surgery:

• The surgery is performed at the operation table where the da Vinci Si HD robot is placed. A high-resolution camera shows the entire setup in a magnified 3D layout to the surgeon who sits at the console and regulates the entire procedure. An assistant surgeon remains by the operation table to monitor the procedure and change any equipment if needed.
• The doctor would give you general anesthesia so you would be unconscious during the surgery and feel no pain.
• The robot makes small incisions in the required spots and thin tube-like tools called ports are placed at the cuts for inserting the surgical equipment.
• The surgeon sitting at the console guides the robotic equipment through hand and foot control and the robot interprets the information into precise movements.
• Once the surgery is done, the incisions are stitched up and secured with fresh dressing. 

What to Expect After a Robotic Surgery?

Since robotic surgeries are minimally invasive, you only have to stay at the hospital for a few hours after the procedure. Once the doctors have monitored you for a while and are satisfied with your state, you’ll be allowed to return home. It is advisable to have someone with you at the hospital and to drive you home after the surgery. Here’s what you can expect during your recovery period:

• The recovery will take a few days to weeks and will be less painful than a normal surgery.
• Ask your doctor about when you can eat after the surgery. Usually, eating is allowed after a few hours.
• The doctor will give you some medications including antibiotics, painkillers, and others to take during your recovery.
• You’ll have to avoid driving for at least a week after the surgery.
• You would not be allowed to perform any strenuous physical activity or lift heavy things for one to two weeks following the surgery.

Pay follow-up visits to your doctor to monitor your recovery. Also, confirm with them before starting any physical activity or returning to your regular schedule. Seek medical help in any of the following cases:

• Bleeding from the stitches.
• Pain that does not go away with medications.
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Redness around the surgical wound or pus formation in the area.

Advantages of Robotic Surgery

Robotic surgery has opened new horizons in the healthcare field. Here are some of its most notable advantages:

• High precision: The da Vinci HD robot encompasses a high-resolution camera, a magnified 3D projection, and an elaborate process of translating the surgeon’s commands into precise real-time movements. This allows for remarkable accuracy in the surgical procedure.

• Visualization: The camera in the setup produces images with high resolution and high definition. It also magnifies the projection to allow the surgeon a more detailed view.

A wider range of motion: The arms of the robot that contain surgical equipment embedded in them are much more agile than human fingers. Therefore, even with a small incision as the access point, robotic surgery can perform the task more thoroughly and can reach spots that human hands wouldn’t have been able to.

What Happens During Robotic Surgery?

The exact steps in the treatment involving robotic surgery will solely depend on the intent of the surgery. But, there are a few key steps that are the same for every robotic surgery:

• Before the surgery, the surgical team thoroughly evaluates the patient, which may include the surgeon, anesthesiologist, and nurses.
• Following that, the patient is put under general anaesthesia to ensure that the patient is comfortable and doesn’t feel any pain or discomfort throughout the surgery.
• Next, the patient is positioned on the operating table in a way that provides easy and direct access to the surgical site. The position will depend on the kind of surgery that’s being performed.
• Small incisions (ports) are made in the patients body at the surgical site. These incisions serve as entry points for the robotic instruments and the camera. Again, the number of incisions will depend on the intent of the surgery.
• The last step is setting up the robotic system, which typically includes a console for the surgeon to control the robotic arms, the robotic arms themselves, and a high-definition, 3D camera. The surgical team takes care of the set-up.

Surgeons perform robotic surgical procedures on a specialized console, which provides a high quality three-dimensional image of the patient body. The surgeon controls the robot by maneuvering levers, pedals and buttons on the console with his arms, feet, fingers and wrists. 

The robot executes these commands through instruments attached to robotic arms on the patient-side robotic cart. Depending on the surgeons requirements, the instruments can be changed easily by a scrub nurse.

FAQs

1. Does robotic surgery make minimally invasive surgery possible?

Yes, robotic surgeries allow for minimally invasive procedures. Since robotic surgical equipment is more flexible and agile, it can reach critical spots inside your body even through the small incisions made at the beginning of the surgery. Therefore, larger incisions are not needed, which makes the recovery period shorter and a lot less painful.

2. Is robotic surgery less painful?

While undergoing robotic surgery, the doctor will administer general anesthesia so you will not feel any pain throughout the procedure. Since the process makes comparatively small incisions, there will be less bleeding and smaller stitches. Therefore, you won’t feel much pain during recovery. In any case, the doctor will prescribe some painkillers to counter any pain and discomfort you may feel. If you feel pain even after taking the medication, it is advisable to seek medical consultation.

3. Why do surgeons need robots?

The use of robotic technology in the healthcare field helps in making medical processes more efficient, precise, and easier for patients. Through robotic surgery, the surgeon can access even critical areas of the body and take the required action with high precision. Since this technology only requires making small incisions to access the target site, even some major surgeries can be performed through minimally invasive means. This not only securely and successfully fulfills the intent of the surgery but is also less physically charging on the patients.

Conclusion

In short, robotic surgery has revolutionised thoracic medicine and surgery. Robotic systems evolution and expanding applications have led to shorter recovery times, reduced pain, and improved patient outcomes.

Dr Arvind Kumar and his team at Medanta Hospital have performed thousands of surgeries using robotic technology to offer better patient care.

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