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Robot-Assisted Evacuation of Hemothorax

Monday, April 1, 2019

By

Jett GK. Robot-Assisted Evacuation of Hemothorax. April 2019. doi:10.25373/ctsnet.7940762.

Hemothorax is second only to rib fractures as the most common complication in patients with chest trauma (1). Hemothorax following valve replacement utilizing a minithoracotomy approach on the opposite side is a rare complication of minimally invasive valve replacement. Retained clot with hemothorax can be evacuated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), but 26.5% require a second procedure, 5.4% a third procedure, and 20.4% require conversion to a thoracotomy (2). Robot-assisted control of hemorrhage and evacuation of hemothorax may be superior to VATS or thoracotomy due to improved vision and precision.


References

  1. LoCicero J III. Shield’s General Thoracic Surgery. Vol 2. 8th ed. Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands: Wolters Kluwer; 2018:1430-1431.
  2. DuBose J, Inaba K, Demetriades D, et al. Management of post-traumatic retained hemothorax: a prospective, observational, multicenter AAST study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;72(1):11-22.

Dr Jett is a speaker and proctor for Intuitive Surgical, Inc.

Comments

Rightly stated, the robotic approach is one of many alternative tools in the arsenal of recurrent or persistent pleural drainage due to organized hematoma. Well documented.

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