Uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery Shows Better Postoperative Recovery Than MRATS: Study
Researchers have found in a new study published in BMC Surgery by Ting-Fang Kuo, Chien-Kuo Kuo, Pei-Ying Lin, Ching-Yao Chen, Chun-Ru Huang, and Hsuan-Tsung Lee that uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery appears to be a feasible and effective surgical approach. According to the authors, this method allows surgeons to operate through a single incision using robotic precision, which helps reduce tissue trauma and postoperative pain. The study observed that patients who underwent uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery required less analgesia during the immediate postoperative period and were able to leave the hospital sooner than those who underwent multiportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery. These findings suggest that the uniportal technique may contribute to smoother recovery and greater patient comfort during the early postoperative phase.
The research team highlighted that both techniques—uniportal and multiportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery—produce comparable oncological outcomes in terms of lymph node dissection and pathological staging. However, the uniportal approach demonstrated distinct advantages in early recovery, pain reduction, and shorter hospital stay. The authors explained that performing surgery through a single entry point reduces the overall invasiveness of the procedure, thereby minimizing surgical trauma and accelerating recovery. They also noted that the technique aligns well with the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery, which focus on minimizing postoperative complications and supporting patient well-being. By offering a less invasive route while maintaining surgical precision, uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery reflects the continuous evolution of thoracic surgery toward more refined and patient-centered methods.
According to Kuo and colleagues, adopting this uniportal approach may require additional technical training and experience, as operating through one incision involves a steeper learning curve compared with traditional multiport techniques. The authors suggest that larger, multicenter studies are needed to validate these findings and to explore whether the benefits observed in early recovery translate into improved long-term outcomes. Nevertheless, this study underscores the potential of uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery to redefine minimally invasive thoracic operations by combining surgical accuracy with enhanced postoperative recovery.
Keywords: Uniportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, Multiportal robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, Postoperative recovery, Minimally invasive thoracic surgery, BMC Surgery, Ting-Fang Kuo, Robotic thoracic procedures, Enhanced recovery, Single-port surgery, Patient outcomes
