ABSTRACT
Robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy may be considered for any patient undergoing lobectomy that does not involve complex vascular or airway reconstruction, or chest wall resection. As with any operation, planning each stage of the procedure is crucial to ensure success. This begins with operating room set-up when a robot is used. The robot adds anxiety to inexperienced robotic surgeons and anesthesiologists. General anesthesia is induced and the patient is intubated with a left-sided double-lumen endotracheal tube while supine. The management of patients undergoing robotic lobectomy does not differ from that of patients undergoing VATS lobectomy. Robotic lobectomy does seem to offer some special benefits to the surgeon in terms of lymph node dissection, ergonomics, and teachability. The need for highly trained team members who are familiar with both each other and the operation cannot be underestimated for robotic pulmonary lobectomy. A systematic approach to both learning and executing the procedure is highly recommended.
