Repair of the descending thoracic aorta using minimally invasive endoscopic Robot-assisted surgery: a feasibility study with the DaVinci XI system in a cadaver model

Abstract Development of minimally invasive techniques has led to the clinical routine application of Robot-assisted surgery. Here, we demonstrate for the first time Robotic-assisted surgery (DaVinci XI) of the descending thoracic aorta in a Thiel cadaver model and discuss its potential value in the endovascular era. Minimally invasive endoscopic and Robot-assisted surgery has been established as a clinical standard for a broad range of surgical procedures during the last 2 decades [1].