WOFAPS 2025 8th World Congress of Pediatric Surgery

tan zheng

Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, National Children’s Regional Medical Center

Objective To investigate the feasibility, practicality, and safety of Da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic technology in the treatment of pediatric thoracic diseases.

Methods From May 2020 to May 2025, 716 cases underwent robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, with ages ranging from 3 months and 11 days to 16 years (median age: 1 year and 4 months) and weights from 5.2 kg to 100 kg (median weight: 11.5 kg). The procedures included 556 pulmonary surgeries, 135 mediastinal tumor resections, and 25 diaphragmatic surgeries.

Results Except for 2 cases (0.2%) converted to open thoracotomy, the remaining 714 cases were successfully completed with robot assistance; no surgical deaths occurred in the entire group. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 12 cases (1.6%). The average indwelling time of postoperative drainage tubes was 1.5 days, and the average hospital stay after surgery was 6.5 days.

Conclusion Robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery can be applied to most pediatric thoracic surgeries, featuring minimal trauma, rapid recovery, and proven safety and feasibility.