Analysis of the efficacy of the da Vinci robot in surgery for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors

Background: The present research is designed to evaluate the short-term outcome of robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) for the treatment of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumours. Methods: : We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on 35 consecutive patients with mediastinal neurogenic tumors after RATS treatment completed by the same operator in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Gansu Provincial People's Hospital from January 2016 to June 2022. There were 19 males and 16 females with a mean age of (34.9±7.1) years in this analysis report. The tumor of the patients were localized and evaluated preoperatively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or enhanced CT. Results: : All 35 patients successfully underwent the resection of posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors under RATS, and no conversion to thoracotomy occurred during the operations. The average operative time was (62.3±18.0) min, the average docking time was (10.3±2.6) min, the average intraoperative bleeding was (33.9±21.6) ml, the average 24-hour postoperative chest drainage was (69.0±28.9) ml, the average postoperative chest drainage time was (2.2±1.4) days and the average post-operative hospital stay was (3.2±1.3) days. Postoperative complications occurred in 3 patients, including 2 patients with transient Honor syndrome after surgery and 1 patient with transient anhidrosis of the affected upper limb after surgery. [1] Conclusion: RATS for posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumours is safe, effective, feasible and bring the superiority of robotic surgical system into full play. 1 The First Clinical Medical College of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, Gansu Provincial Hospital, Lanzhou, China