Emory Heart & Vascular

Emory Healthcare is the first health care system in Georgia to perform thoracic surgeries using a new minimally invasive robotic technology.

The da Vinci Single Port (SP) surgical system by Intuitive is currently the least invasive robotic technology available. The system has been used for ENT and colorectal surgeries and was recently approved for use in thoracic procedures.

The SP robot allows surgeons to make a single two- to three-inch incision in the upper abdomen; a previous version of the robot required multiple entry points on the chest. The ability to perform intricate and complex operations through a single, small incision offers substantial benefits to patients, including reduced pain, minimal scarring, shorter hospital stays and a quicker return to normal activities.

Robotic surgery involves the insertion of four arms, including three instruments and a camera. The previous robot required four separate incisions, one for each tool. With the single port robotic system, all four arms go in together. Once inside the body, they separate. The new design of the robotic single arm allows for greater range of motion, enabling more precise suturing and removal of unwanted tissue. Eventually, the system is expected to broaden its application to include more complex procedures, including surgeries on the lungs and esophagus.  

Manu Sancheti, MD, director of robotic thoracic surgery at Emory Healthcare, and the only surgeon in Georgia approved to use the device, recently performed the first two procedures with the SP system at Emory University Hospital Midtown.

• Patient 1: A healthy 60-year-old female presented with a 2-centimeter mass located in her anterior mediastinum, positioned just above and anterior to the heart. Preoperative imaging studies strongly suggested the mass was a thymoma, a tumor originating in the thymus gland. Thymomas can range from very low-grade, almost benign masses to highly aggressive cancerous types.
  
  Preoperative biopsies are generally avoided in the case of a thymoma because piercing the tumor's capsule can potentially spread malignant cells if they’re present. Consequently, both the definitive diagnosis and primary treatment of thymomas are typically achieved simultaneously through surgical excision.
  
  Using the new robot, Dr. Sancheti made one incision in the patient’s upper abdomen and removed the thymoma, which turned out to be moderate grade. The procedure took about an hour, and the patient went home the next day. At this point, she needs no further treatment; she will undergo surveillance imaging going forward.

• Patient 2: While undergoing a routine scan for an unrelated health condition, a 55-year-old female was found to have a cystic mass in her anterior mediastinum. The mass was located in the thymus gland area, anterior to the heart.
  
  The primary objective of the surgery was diagnostic — to obtain a definitive pathological diagnosis of the mass and determine if it had any relation to the patient’s other ongoing medical problems. The surgery also carried the potential for therapeutic intervention if the mass proved to be a resectable tumor. The mass was removed using the advanced single-incision robotic technique. The procedure was completed in less than an hour, and the patient went home the same day. 

Emory thoracic surgery stands as the foremost academic thoracic surgery program in Georgia, performing more than 1,600 procedures annually. We are dedicated to treating the sickest patients and addressing the most complex surgical challenges. As an integral part of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in Georgia, thoracic surgical care at Emory offers advanced multidisciplinary care and access to pioneering clinical trials.

What makes Emory thoracic surgery unique:

• Cutting-Edge Techniques: We pioneer minimally invasive methods, such as robotic and video-assisted thoracic surgery, to ensure quicker recovery and better outcomes. Our surgeons are international experts in robotic surgery having performed over 2,500 robotic thoracic surgeries, many of which are first in Georgia.
• Comprehensive Services: From lung and esophageal surgeries to complex chest wall reconstructions, our specialists handle a wide range of conditions with precision and expertise.
• Research and Leadership: Our surgeons are leaders in national organizations and are involved in groundbreaking clinical research that shapes the future of thoracic surgery.