Optimizing Surgical Precision: A Comparative Study of Three-Port vs. Four-Port Robotic-Assisted Lobectomy for NSCLC

This retrospective analysis compared three-port and four-port robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)(n=121, 2020–2021). Demographics, tumor characteristics, complications, and lymph node yields were similar between groups. While the three-port group showed trends toward shorter operative time (117.32 vs. 136.83 minutes), console time (90 vs. 103 minutes), less blood loss (94.34 vs. 102.73 mL), shorter chest tube duration (2.43 vs. 2.79 days), and shorter hospital stay (4.55 vs. 5.14 days), these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). However, three-port patients reported significantly less postoperative pain. In line with the trend toward uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), the authors propose that fewer ports in RATS may offer benefits, warranting further investigation.