Robotic thoracic surgery is a type of minimally invasive surgery used in thoracic procedures for some lung cancer cases. Also called robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, it can be used to remove diseased lung tissue and possibly surrounding lymph nodes. In robotic surgery, a surgeon will sit at a console next to the patient in the operating room and control the instruments on the robotic surgical system.

First, a small 3D high-definition camera is placed through one of the cuts (incisions) to provide a view of the inside of the chest cavity. Then robotic instruments are placed through the other small incisions made in between the ribs. The robotic instruments are completely controlled by the doctor’s hands at the console.

The surgeon removes lung tissue through one of the incisions. The magnified view and wristed instruments allow the surgeon to make precise, controlled movements to remove lung tissue without having to make larger incisions to open up the chest or spread the ribs. The robotic technique can be used for other types of chest procedures involving the lungs, esophagus, thymus, and certain cardiac procedures, besides lung cancer surgery.