Robotic Surgery in Mediastinal Cystic Pathologies

Purpose
In this study, results of surgery for patients with mediastinal cystic pathology who were treated by the utilization of robotic surgery system were analyzed.
Material and Method
Prospectively collected data of 296 patients on whom robotic surgery system was used between October 2011 and June 2017 were retrospectively examined. Of these patients, 9 (3%) patients who were operated due to cystic pathologies of mediastinum were included in this study. Age, gender, docking and console times of the robot, pathology results, length of hospital stay, anatomic localization of the lesions, blood transfusion requirement, conversion to open surgery, mortality and morbidity rates were recorded.
Findings
Five patients were male and 4 were female, and the mean age was 45.5±21.2 years. The lesion was localized in anterior mediastinum in 2 patients, middle mediastinum in 4 patients, and in posterior mediastinum in 3 patients. Six patients underwent surgery with the diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst, 1 patient underwent surgery with the diagnosis of pericardial cyst, and 2 patients underwent surgery with the diagnosis of thymic cyst. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.3±1.5 days. The median console time was 45 minutes (30 minutes-110 minutes) and the median docking time was 20 minutes (10 minutes-40 minutes).
Conclusion
We consider that, with technical advantages provided to the surgeon in mediastinal surgery, robotic technology can be preferred in cystic pathologies of the mediastinum localized in areas that may pose challenges in dissection.