New robotic surgery for throat cancer
Single-port robot-assisted cervical esophagectomy (SP RACE): Combining precision mediastinal lymphadenectomy and complete extrapulmonary dissection
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The procedure works without single-lung ventilation
Most chest surgeries require one-lung ventilation to collapse one lung for access—this technique avoids that entirely.
Practical Takeaways
Patients with lung issues or prior chest surgery should ask their surgeon about SP RACE as a possible alternative to traditional esophagectomy.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The procedure works without single-lung ventilation
Most chest surgeries require one-lung ventilation to collapse one lung for access—this technique avoids that entirely.
Practical Takeaways
Patients with lung issues or prior chest surgery should ask their surgeon about SP RACE as a possible alternative to traditional esophagectomy.
Publication
Journal
JTCVS techniques
Year
2025
Authors
Renger F, Bellaio L, Hadzijusufovic E, Lozanovski VJ, Lang H, Grimminger PP
Related Content
Claims (10)
This is a new way to remove the esophagus using a robot through a small neck incision, without needing to open the chest or use special breathing equipment.
Doctors use a special dye to see the thoracic duct (a tube that carries fluid) during surgery, so they can avoid cutting it and causing leaks.
The surgery starts with a small cut (4 cm) on the left side of the neck near the muscle that runs from the collarbone to the ear, to access the esophagus.
A special robot with 3D vision and less arm interference helps surgeons work precisely in tight spaces in the chest during this surgery.
Having two surgical teams work together during the procedure might make the surgery faster.