A Tulane surgeon performed the first lung resection in Louisiana, Arkansas or Mississippi using robotic-assisted technology that reduces post-surgical pain and lengthy hospital stays, the university\u2019s school of medicine announced.<\/p>\n
Dennis O’Neil, 77, was in recovery for colon cancer when imaging found malignant cancer cells in his right lung. He would need a lobectomy, the removal of a section of a lung called a lobe.<\/p>\n
Instead of performing traditional open surgery, which involves a large incision up the torso and rib-cracking, Dr. Wassim Abi Jaoude performed a minimally invasive technique in July at LCMC\u2019s East Jefferson Hospital using a single port.<\/p>\n
The single-port approach allows surgeons to operate through a single incision using similar robotic technology, according to the Mayo Clinic<\/a>. Single-port robotic surgery has been used in other specialties for several years, such as for lymphedema and prostate cancer care.<\/p>\n The single port allowed Abi Jaoude to complete the operation through one incision, 3 to 4 centimeters long, below O’Neil’s rib cage. By avoiding the spaces between the ribs, the approach reduces irritation to the nerves along the spaces between ribs and the chest wall.<\/p>\n \u201cThis advancement represents a major step forward in thoracic oncology,\u201d said Abi Jaoude, assistant professor<\/a> of cardiothoracic surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine. \u201cBy utilizing a single incision, we can offer our patients enhanced surgical precision alongside significantly reduced pain and faster recovery times.\u201d<\/p>\n Open surgery typically takes between three and six hours because it requires a larger incision and spreading of the ribs. The in-hospital stay is usually up to a week long.<\/p>\n Early clinical experience across major U.S. medical centers shows reduced postoperative pain, lower narcotic requirements, shorter hospital stays and faster return to baseline activities.<\/p>\n The FDA cleared the use of the da Vinci Single-Port robotic system for thoracic surgery, including pulmonary lobectomies, in 2025 after a six-month clinical trial<\/a> period at multiple U.S. institutions.<\/p>\n