Lancement d’un programme de chirurgie thoracique robot-assistée : étude de la sécurité des soins et de la qualité dans le cadre de la courbe d’apprentissage

JCTCV:21(4)
The purpose of this study was to compare our initial experience with RATS pulmonary lobectomy with that of our well-established VATS program. Methods: We compared the early outcomes of those 81 patients having had a 3-port full thoracoscopic lobectomy performed by the most experienced VATS surgeon with those 91 patients having had a 3-arm RATS lobectomy performed by a single surgeon during a 24-month period. Results: Operative time was longer in the RATS group (mean: 134.5 ± 154.2 minutes vs. 37.7 ± 47.3 minutes; p = 0.004). Overall morbidity was similar (43.4% vs. 39.1%; p = 0.57). Five patients in the VATS group required blood transfusions and only one in the RATS group (p = 0.12). Readmission rates at 90 days were similar (3.9% vs. 6.9%; p = 0.38). The 90-day mortality rates were 2.6% and 0% (p = 0.12). More N2 nodes were removed in the VATS group (mean: 9.92 ± 5.41 vs. 6.24 ± 5.584; p < 0.0001). The proportion of lymph node upstaging was similar in both groups (16% vs. 13%; p = 0.65). Conclusions: Our early experience of pulmonary lobectomy by RATS appears to be as safe and more mature than VATS, with regards to the 90-day postoperative period.