Can the da Vinci robotic system be alternative to open surgery for schwannoma in posterior mediastinum?

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: In the present study, the outcomes and technical details of patients who underwentsurgical resection for benign schwannoma with the da Vinci robotic system are presented.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the scope of our robotic surgery program, 26 (8.7%) patients out of296 patients were operated using the da Vinci robotic system. Five patients (19.2%) who underwentsurgery of benign schwannoma were included in the study. Prospectively, collected data of thesepatients were retrospectively evaluated. Age, gender, robot docking and console times, length ofhospital stay, anatomic localizations of the lesions, pathology results, blood infusion needs, andmortality and morbidity rates of the patients were recorded.RESULTS: All patients were male, and the mean age was 43.2 ± 12.1 years. The mean length ofhospital stay was 3 ± 0.9 days. The mean console time was 27.6 ± 18.8 min, and the mean dockingtime was 12 ± 4 min. None of the patients received blood transfusion. Utility incision was made inonly one patient. Postoperative ptosis was detected in two patients with tumors where located in theapical region, and no mortality occurred.CONCLUSION: Due to the advantages of robotic surgery to the surgeon, patients with schwannomain extreme locations that would pose challenges in dissection could be operated with da Vinci system.