Robotic Thoracic Surgery

Leaders in Thoracic Surgery

Thoracic surgery can treat conditions affecting the chest, including the heart, lungs and esophagus. At Jupiter Medical Center our experts provide advanced diagnostics and treatments for a variety of chest conditions, including lung and esophageal cancer, chest tumors, mediastinal disease, robotic lobectomy for lung cancer and robotic thymectomy.

Why Choose Jupiter Medical Center?

Our surgeons are considered leaders in the field of robotic thoracic surgery:

  • Dr. K. Adam Lee, Medical Director of the Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of Excellence, and a surgical team performed the first four-arm robotic lobectomy in the nation nearly two decades ago.
  • Dr. Lee remains a pioneer in robotic thoracic procedures. He has traveled the nation teaching cardiothoracic surgeons the technique.
  • Jupiter Medical Center was one of the first in the world to offer the da Vinci Xi Surgical System and one of the first in the nation to offer the da Vinci 5.
  • The program was also the first in the region to offer the Ion robotic-assisted bronchoscopy technology.

Our doctors remain at the forefront of innovation, implementing the most advanced minimally invasive technology to continually improving outcomes for patients.

Robotic Lung Cancer Surgery

Robotic lung cancer surgery is a minimally invasive procedure using advanced robotic systems, such as the da Vinci surgical system. This technology allows surgeons to perform complex surgeries with greater precision, flexibility, and control compared to traditional techniques. Key benefits of robotic lung cancer surgery include:

  • Enhanced precision – robotic arms can make very precise movements, reducing damage to surrounding tissues.
  • Improved visualization – high-definition, 3D cameras provide better views of the surgical area.
  • Smaller incisions – this leads to less pain, reduced scarring, and quicker recovery times.
  • Greater dexterity – robotic instruments have a greater range of motion than a human hand, allowing for more precise manipulation of tissues.

Surgeons control the robotic system from a console, where they can maneuver instruments with fine detail. This approach is especially beneficial for complex resections and procedures in hard-to- reach areas of the chest.

Robotic Lung Cancer Surgery Procedures

Robotic lung cancer surgery encompasses various procedures, tailored to the stage and location of the cancer, including:

  • Lobectomy – removal of an entire lobe of the lung, often performed when the cancer is localized in one lobe.
  • Segmentectomy or wedge resection – removal of a segment or a small wedge of lung tissue, typically for early-stage cancer or patients with limited lung function.
  • Pneumonectomy – removal of an entire lung, generally reserved for more advanced cases.
  • Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection – removal of lymph nodes in the mediastinum to check for cancer spread.

The da Vinci surgical system is the most widely used robotic platform in thoracic surgery. This advanced technology provides a 3D, high-definition view of the surgical area and wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human hand. With it’s intuitive interface the surgeon sits at an ergonomic console, using hand and foot controls to manipulate the robotic arms and instruments.

Benefits of Robotic Surgery

  • Less pain and scarring – smaller incisions lead to less postoperative pain and minimal scarring compared to traditional open surgery.
  • Quicker recovery – patients often experience faster recovery times, with shorter hospital stays and a quicker return to normal activities.
  • Reduced complications – there is a lower risk of complications such as infection or bleeding.
  • Enhanced precision – the high precision of robotic surgery allows for more accurate removal of cancerous tissues while sparing healthy tissues.

Some patients may not be candidates for robotic surgery due to the size, location, stage of the tumor, or due to other underlying health conditions. The success of robotic surgery heavily depends on the surgeon’s experience and skill.

Robotic Bronchoscopy

The Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of excellence is a pioneer in robotic bronchoscopy — being one of the first in the nation to offer navigational bronchoscopy technology for diagnostic and therapeutic bronchoscopic procedures and one of the few programs in the region to implement the Ion™ Platform robotic-assisted technology for diagnosing cancerous lung nodules.

Robotic bronchoscopy uses a flexible, robotic endoscope (a thin tube with light and camera attached) to enter the lungs through the mouth. This procedure allows our cancer specialists to diagnose small, hard-to-reach nodules located around the edges of the lungs with greater precision than ever before. During this procedure, one of our surgeons control the robotic arm, which uses a CT scan for guidance in navigating to the nodule(s) and taking a tissue sample to be analyzed in the lab.

This robotic technology offers many advantages over traditional needle biopsies, including:

  • Access to difficult to reach nodules
  • Faster and more accurate diagnosis
  • Faster recovery time
  • Lower risk of causing a deflated or collapsed lung
  • No injury to the lungs

Other Robotic Procedures

Several other robotic procedures are also available at The Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of Excellence, including:

  • Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). This minimally invasive thoracic surgery does not use a traditional thoracotomy (a large incision into the chest wall). Our doctors perform VATs to diagnose and treat pleural diseases (conditions affecting the space surrounding the lungs), which include infection, fluid buildup or cancer.
  • Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS). This minimally invasive procedure provides real-time imaging of the surface of the airways, blood vessels, lungs, and lymph nodes. Improved images allow physicians to easily view difficult-to-reach areas and access more, and smaller, lymph nodes for biopsy that through conventional mediastinoscopy.

Quality

The Thoracic Surgery & Lung Center of Excellence has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as high ranking in lung cancer surgery. For 35 years, U.S. News has been a leading resource for patients navigating their health care decisions, a best hospital recognition empowers patients to seek out medical care from the best of the best to treat their illness or condition.