OBJECTIVES: Robotic thymectomy has been suggested and considered technically feasible for thymic tumours. However, because of small-sample series and the lack of data on long-term results, controversies still exist on surgical and oncological results with this approach. We performed a large national multicentre study sought to evaluate the early and long-term outcomes after robot-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy in thymic epithelial tumours. METHODS: All patients with thymic epithelial tumours operated through a robotic thoracoscopic approach between 2002 and 2022 from 15 Italian centres were enrolled. Demographic characteristics, clinical, intraoperative, postoperative, pathological and follow-up data were retrospectively collected and reviewed. RESULTS: There were 669 patients (307 men and 362 women), 312 (46.6%) of whom had associated myasthenia gravis. Complete thymectomy was performed in 657 (98%) cases and in 57 (8.5%) patients resection of other structures was necessary, with a R0 resection in all but 9 patients (98.6%). Twenty-three patients (3.4%) needed open conversion, but no perioperative mortality occurred. Fifty-one patients (7.7%) had postoperative complications. The median diameter of tumour resected was 4 cm (interquartile range 3-5.5 cm), and Masaoka stage was stage I in 39.8% of patients, stage II in 56.1%, stage III in 3.5% and stage IV in 0.6%. Thymoma was observed in 90.2% of patients while thymic carcinoma occurred in 2.8% of cases. At the end of the follow-up, only 2 patients died for tumour-related causes. Five- and ten-year recurrence rates were 7.4% and 8.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Through the largest collection of robotic thymectomy for thymic epithelial tumours we demonstrated that robot-enhanced thoracoscopic thymectomy is a technically sound and safe procedure with a low complication rate and optimal oncological outcomes.

Comacchio, G. M., Schiavon, M., Zirafa, C. C., De Palma, A., Scaramuzzi, R., Meacci, E., Bongiolatti, S., Monaci, N., Lyberis, P., Novellis, P., Brandolini, J., Parini, S., Ricciardi, S., D'Andrilli, A., Bottoni, E., Gallina, F. T., Marino, M. C., Lorenzoni, G., Francavilla, A., Rendina, E. A., Cardillo, G., Rena, O., Solli, P., Alloisio, M., Luzzi, L., Facciolo, F., Voltolini, L., Margaritora, S., Curcio, C., Marulli, G., Ruffini, E., Veronesi, G., Melfi, F., Rea, F., Robotic thymectomy in thymic tumours: a multicentre, nation-wide study, <<EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY>>, 2024; 65 (5): N/A-N/A. [doi:10.1093/ejcts/ezae178] [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/303660]

Robotic thymectomy in thymic tumours: a multicentre, nation-wide study

Meacci, Elisa;Margaritora, Stefano;
2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Robotic thymectomy has been suggested and considered technically feasible for thymic tumours. However, because of small-sample series and the lack of data on long-term results, controversies still exist on surgical and oncological results with this approach. We performed a large national multicentre study sought to evaluate the early and long-term outcomes after robot-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy in thymic epithelial tumours. METHODS: All patients with thymic epithelial tumours operated through a robotic thoracoscopic approach between 2002 and 2022 from 15 Italian centres were enrolled. Demographic characteristics, clinical, intraoperative, postoperative, pathological and follow-up data were retrospectively collected and reviewed. RESULTS: There were 669 patients (307 men and 362 women), 312 (46.6%) of whom had associated myasthenia gravis. Complete thymectomy was performed in 657 (98%) cases and in 57 (8.5%) patients resection of other structures was necessary, with a R0 resection in all but 9 patients (98.6%). Twenty-three patients (3.4%) needed open conversion, but no perioperative mortality occurred. Fifty-one patients (7.7%) had postoperative complications. The median diameter of tumour resected was 4 cm (interquartile range 3-5.5 cm), and Masaoka stage was stage I in 39.8% of patients, stage II in 56.1%, stage III in 3.5% and stage IV in 0.6%. Thymoma was observed in 90.2% of patients while thymic carcinoma occurred in 2.8% of cases. At the end of the follow-up, only 2 patients died for tumour-related causes. Five- and ten-year recurrence rates were 7.4% and 8.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Through the largest collection of robotic thymectomy for thymic epithelial tumours we demonstrated that robot-enhanced thoracoscopic thymectomy is a technically sound and safe procedure with a low complication rate and optimal oncological outcomes.
2024
Inglese
Comacchio, G. M., Schiavon, M., Zirafa, C. C., De Palma, A., Scaramuzzi, R., Meacci, E., Bongiolatti, S., Monaci, N., Lyberis, P., Novellis, P., Brandolini, J., Parini, S., Ricciardi, S., D'Andrilli, A., Bottoni, E., Gallina, F. T., Marino, M. C., Lorenzoni, G., Francavilla, A., Rendina, E. A., Cardillo, G., Rena, O., Solli, P., Alloisio, M., Luzzi, L., Facciolo, F., Voltolini, L., Margaritora, S., Curcio, C., Marulli, G., Ruffini, E., Veronesi, G., Melfi, F., Rea, F., Robotic thymectomy in thymic tumours: a multicentre, nation-wide study, <<EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CARDIO-THORACIC SURGERY>>, 2024; 65 (5): N/A-N/A. [doi:10.1093/ejcts/ezae178] [https://hdl.handle.net/10807/303660]
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10807/303660
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact