Robotic-assisted lung transplantation: First in man

Lung transplantation remains the best option for patients with end-stage lung disease. However, this operation has historically carried significant potential morbidity. To improve near-term patient outcomes, attempts have been made to decrease invasiveness, but this is limited by the complex nature of the operation and the anatomy of the chest. To facilitate further reduction in incision size and augment our existing minimally invasive approach, we developed a novel technique utilizing the Da Vinci robotic system to implant a right lung in a 69-year-old recipient.