Robotic thoracic surgery for resection of thymoma and tumors of the thymus: technical development and initial experience

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of resection of tumors of the thymus by robotic thoracic surgery, analyzing the extent of resection, postoperative complications, time of surgery, and length of stay. METHODS: Retrospective study from a database involving patients diagnosed with a tumor of the thymus and undergoing robotic thoracic surgery at one of seven hospitals in Brazil between October of 2015 and June of 2018. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 18 cases of resection of tumors of the thymus: thymoma, in 12; carcinoma, in 2; and carcinoid tumor, in 1; high-grade sarcoma, in 1; teratoma, in 1; and thymolipoma, in 1. The mean lesion size was 60.1 ± 32.0 mm. Tumors of the thymus were resected with tumor-free margins in 17 cases. The median (interquartile range) for pleural drain time and hospital stay, in days, was 1 (1-3) and 2 (2-4), respectively. There was no need for surgical conversion, and there were no major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic thoracic surgery for resection of tumors of the thymus has been shown to be feasible and safe, with a low risk of complications and with postoperative outcomes comparable to those of other techniques.