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.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: 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.
RESULTS: 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 two patients, middle mediastinum in four patients, and in posterior mediastinum in three patients. Six patients underwent surgery with the diagnosis of bronchogenic cyst, one patient underwent surgery with the diagnosis of the pericardial cyst, and two patients underwent surgery with the diagnosis of the thymic cyst. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.3 ± 1.5 days. The median console time was 45 min (30–110 min) and the median docking time was 20 min (10–40 min).
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.