Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Sternotomy is the traditional approach for thymectomy. However, over the last 2 decades minimally invasive surgical approaches (multiport thoracoscopic and robotic-assisted surgery) have proven feasible, offering similar survival, lower morbidity and shorter length of stay. Single-port (SP), subxiphoid thymectomy potentially offers less pain and allows bilateral visualization of the mediastinum. METHODS:A prospective, multicenter, single-arm clinical study was conducted to evaluate the performance and safety of the da Vinci SP Surgical System for thymectomy via a subxiphoid incision. Primary performance endpoints included ability to achieve R0 resection and completion of the procedure without conversion. The primary safety endpoint was all adverse events (AEs) up to 30-days postoperatively. RESULTS:Thirteen subjects (benign, n=6; malignant, n=7) were enrolled at six centers in the United States. All SP thymectomy procedures were completed via a small (mean 3.8cm) subxiphoid incision without conversion to other minimally invasive or open approaches. For malignant cases rate of complete resection was 100%. No study subjects experienced any intraoperative or serious AEs. No unanticipated adverse device effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS:Thymectomy using the da Vinci SP Surgical System via a subxiphoid approach is feasible and there are no early indications of safety or procedural concerns. Larger clinical studies are warranted to further evaluate the relative benefits and limitations of the SP System compared to multiport robotic thymectomy.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The current gold standard of scoliosis correction procedures is still posterior spinal fusion, an extensively studied procedure. anterior vertebral body tethering is a newer surgical technique for the correction of scoliotic curves. Consequently, best practices have yet to be determined. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A single-institution, retrospective, review of all patients diagnosed with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis who underwent two row anterior vertebral body tethering between June 2020 and April 2022 was performed. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: = 4). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:This early review of a 2-year two row vertebral body tethering postoperative experience provides a report of a safe and effective approach to chest tube management at a single academic center.

The conventional supine position for robotic thymectomy may present challenges in accessing the lower thymic horns, particularly in cases requiring extensive resection of mediastinal fat. To address this issue, the authors advocate for a lateral patient position during the procedure, emphasizing optimized access to the thymic horns and improved procedural efficacy. The lateral approach involves specific trocar placements and port arrangements to minimize conflicts between instruments. This report proposes an innovative approach to robotic thymectomy for patients diagnosed with thymoma or thymic hyperplasia associated with myasthenia gravis.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to analyze overall survival of robotic-assisted lobectomy (RL), video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VATS) and open lobectomy (OL) performed by experienced thoracic surgeons across multiple institutions. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA/BACKGROUND:Surgeons have increasingly adopted RL for resection of early-stage lung cancer. Comparative survival data following these approaches is largely from single-institution case series or administrative datasets. METHODS:Retrospective data was collected from 21 institutions from 2013-2019. Consecutive cases performed for clinical stage IA-IIIA lung cancer were included. Induction therapy patients were excluded. The propensity-score method of inverse-probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to balance baseline characteristics. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate association among OS and relevant risk factors. RESULTS:A total of 2,789 RL, 2,661 VATS, and 1,196 OL cases were included. The unadjusted 5-year overall survival rate was highest for OL (84%) followed by RL (81%) and VATS (74%); P=0.008. Similar trends were also observed after IPTW adjustment (RL 81%; VATS 73%, OL 85%, P=0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that OL and RL were associated with significantly higher overall survival compared to VATS (OL vs. VATS: HR 0.64, P<0.001 and RL vs. VATS: HR 0.79; P=0.007). CONCLUSIONS:Our finding from this large multicenter study suggests that patients undergoing RL and OL have statistically similar OS, while the VATS group was associated with shorter OS. Further studies with longer follow-up are necessary to help evaluate these observations.

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes of open lobectomy (OL), video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VATS) and robotic-assisted lobectomy (RL). SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA/BACKGROUND:Robotic-assisted lobectomy has seen increasing adoption for treatment of early-stage lung cancer. Comparative data regarding these approaches is largely from single-institution case series or administrative datasets. METHODS:Retrospective data was collected from 21 institutions from 2013-2019. All consecutive cases performed for clinical stage IA-IIIA lung cancer were included. Neoadjuvant cases were excluded. Propensity-score matching (1:1) was based on age, gender, race, smoking-status, FEV1%, Zubrod score, ASA score, tumor size and clinical T and N stage. RESULTS:A total of 2,391 RL, 2,174 VATS, and 1,156 OL cases were included. After propensity-score matching there were 885 pairs of RL vs. OL, 1,711 pairs of RL vs. VATS, and 952 pairs of VATS vs. OL. Operative time for RL was shorter than VATS (p < 0.0001) and OL (p = 0.0004). Compared to OL, RL and VATS had less overall postoperative complications, shorter hospital stay (LOS), and lower transfusion rates (all p < 0.02). Compared to VATS, RL had lower conversion rate (p < 0.0001), shorter hospital stay (p < 0.0001) and a lower postoperative transfusion rate (p = 0.01). RL and VATS cohorts had comparable postoperative complication rates. In-hospital mortality was comparable between all groups. CONCLUSIONS:RL and VATS approaches were associated with favorable perioperative outcomes compared to OL. Robotic-assisted lobectomy was also associated with a reduced length of stay and decreased conversion rate when compared to VATS.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:The Thoraguard Surgical Drainage System is a novel device for drainage of air and fluid after cardiothoracic surgery. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A three-part study was conducted: a prospective observational safety and feasibility study, a retrospective comparison of patients managed with an analogue drainage system, and a clinician user-feedback survey. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:2.8 days (IQR 1-3) (P=0.004). Compared to an analogue system, the Thoraguard system had superior user-reported ability to detect air-leaks (17/23, 74%), better ease of patient ambulation (14/23, 61%), and better display of clinically relevant information (22/23, 96%). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:The Thoraguard Surgical Drainage System provides safe and effective drainage post pulmonary resection. Compared to an analogue system, the Thoraguard system detected a higher number of air leaks and was associated with decreased chest tube duration and hospital length of stay. User survey data reported superior air leak detection, display of clinical data, and ease of use of the Thoraguard system.

BACKGROUND:Our objective was to report the incidence, management, and outcomes of patients who developed a secondary pneumothorax while admitted for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). METHODS:A single-institution, retrospective review of patients admitted for COVID-19 with a diagnosis of pneumothorax between March 1, 2020, and April 30, 2020, was performed. The primary assessment was the incidence of pneumothorax. Secondarily, we analyzed clinical outcomes of patients requiring tube thoracostomy, including those requiring operative intervention. RESULTS:From March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020, 118 of 1595 patients (7.4%) admitted for COVID-19 developed a pneumothorax. Of these, 92 (5.8%) required tube thoracostomy drainage for a median of 12 days (interquartile range 5-25 days). The majority of patients (95 of 118, 80.5%) were on mechanical ventilation at the time of pneumothorax, 17 (14.4%) were iatrogenic, and 25 patients (21.2%) demonstrated tension physiology. Placement of a large-bore chest tube (20 F or greater) was associated with fewer tube-related complications than a small-bore tube (14 F or less) (14 vs 26 events, P = .011). Six patients with pneumothorax (5.1%) required operative management for a persistent alveolar-pleural fistula. In patients with pneumothorax, median hospital stay was 36 days (interquartile range 20-63 days) and in-hospital mortality was significantly higher than for those without pneumothorax (58% vs 13%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS:The incidence of secondary pneumothorax in patients admitted for COVID-19 is 7.4%, most commonly occurring in patients requiring mechanical ventilation, and is associated with an in-hospital mortality rate of 58%. Placement of large-bore chest tubes is associated with fewer complications than small-bore tubes.

OBJECTIVE:As the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic continues, appropriate management of thoracic complications from Coronavirus Disease 2019 needs to be determined. Our objective is to evaluate which complications occurring in patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 require thoracic surgery and to report the early outcomes. METHODS:This study is a single-institution retrospective case series at New York University Langone Health Manhattan campus evaluating patients with confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 infection who were hospitalized and required thoracic surgery from March 13 to July 18, 2020. RESULTS:From March 13 to August 8, 2020, 1954 patients were admitted to New York University Langone Health for Coronavirus Disease 2019. Of these patients, 13 (0.7%) required thoracic surgery. Two patients (15%) required surgery for complicated pneumothoraces, 5 patients (38%) underwent pneumatocele resection, 1 patient (8%) had an empyema requiring decortication, and 5 patients (38%) developed a hemothorax that required surgery. Three patients (23%) died after surgery, 9 patients (69%) were discharged, and 1 patient (8%) remains in the hospital. No healthcare providers were positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 after the surgeries. CONCLUSIONS:Given the 77% survival, with a majority of patients already discharged from the hospital, thoracic surgery is feasible for the small percent of patients hospitalized with Coronavirus Disease 2019 who underwent surgery for complex pneumothorax, pneumatocele, empyema, or hemothorax. Our experience also supports the safety of surgical intervention for healthcare providers who operate on patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019.

The number of thoracic surgery cases performed on the robotic platform has increased steadily over the last two decades. An increasing number of surgeons are training on the robotic system, which like any new technique or technology, has a progressive learning curve. Central to establishing a successful robotic program is the development of a dedicated thoracic robotic team that involves anesthesiologists, nurses, and bed-side assistants. With an additional surgeon console, the robot is an excellent platform for teaching. Compared to current methods of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), the robot offers improved wristed motion, a magnified, high definition three-dimensional vision, and greater surgeon control of the operation. These advantages are paired with integrated adjunctive technology such as infrared imaging. For pulmonary resection, these advantages of the robotic platform have translated into several clinical benefits, such as fewer overall complications, reduced pain, shorter length of stay, better postoperative pulmonary function, lower operative blood loss, and a lower 30-day mortality rate compared to open thoracotomy. With increased experience, cases of greater complexity are being performed. This review article details the process of becoming an experienced robotic thoracic surgeon and discusses a series of challenging cases in robotic thoracic surgery that a surgeon may encounter "beyond the learning curve". Nearly all thoracic surgery can now be approached robotically, including sleeve lobectomy, pneumonectomy, resection of large pulmonary and mediastinal masses, decortication, thoracic duct ligation, rib resection, and pulmonary resection after prior chest surgery and/or chemoradiation.