Northside Hospital Cancer Institute has achieved a milestone in thoracic surgery, performing Georgia's first single-port robotic pulmonary lobectomy using the da Vinci SP robotic surgical system.
The operation was performed Friday, Oct. 30, by thoracic surgeon Dr. Michal Hubka at Northside Hospital Atlanta.
A pulmonary lobectomy is the surgical removal of one of the lobes of the lung and is a common treatment for certain patients with lung cancer. Unlike traditional minimally invasive approaches that require multiple incisions, the da Vinci SP platform allows surgeons to perform the procedure through a single small incision.
"This accomplishment reflects Northside's continued commitment to advancing cancer care through innovation and expanding access to the latest surgical technologies for patients across the state," said Amy Boren, director of oncology services.
The lobectomy was performed through a single incision below the rib cage and through the diaphragm, rather than multiple small incisions between the ribs, according to Dr. Hubka. It is an approach designed to minimize trauma to the chest wall while supporting recovery and patient comfort.
The landmark surgery marks an important advancement in minimally invasive thoracic surgery and establishes Northside's leadership in a rapidly evolving field of lung cancer surgical care. It comes just months after Dr. Hubka performed Northside's first single-port thoracic surgery, a 90-minute operation to remove a thymoma, a tumor of the thymus gland.
"Friday’s operation highlights how rapidly thoracic surgery is advancing," he said. "The ability to perform complex lung cancer operations through increasingly less invasive approaches reflects years of progress in robotic technology, surgical training and patient selection. It's rewarding to bring those innovations to Northside and continue building a program that offers a full spectrum of surgical options for lung cancer patients."
Expanding minimally invasive options for lung cancer patients
According to Dr. Hubka, patients with early-stage lung cancer may be candidates for a single-port lung resection, depending on factors such as the patient's anatomy. However, while the single-port technique represents an important innovation, it is not necessary for excellent outcomes, he added.
"At Northside Thoracic Surgery, robotic multiport resection is available to the vast majority of patients with lung cancer, including those whose tumor size, location or anatomy would make a single-port approach less suitable," Dr. Hubka said. "The robotic platform provides three-dimensional visualization, wristed instrumentation and precise dissection, which supports safe, thorough cancer operations while offering the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. "
In addition to Dr. Hubka, thoracic surgeons Dr. John Gouldman and Dr. Ammar Asban are trained to perform single-port and multiport robotic thoracic surgery, further expanding Northside's ability to offer advanced surgical options for patients across the region.
