Barcelona Hospital performs world’s first fully robotic lung transplant

A hospital in Barcelona, ​​Spain, performed the world’s first fully robotic lung transplant in late February, using a technique that reduces the risks of these surgeries and eliminates patient pain, the institution said this Monday.

The transplantation was carried out according to a technology that has been used for many years to treat, for example, lung cancer, in which it is no longer necessary to open the chest and separate or move the ribs to get to the diseased organ, with a small incision under the bone, sternum, and from there a camera is inserted and the instruments needed for the operation,” explained Albert Jauregui, head of the department of thoracic surgery and lung transplantation at the Val d’Hebron University Hospital, at a press conference.

The challenge, according to Albert Jaurega, was to remove the diseased lung through this small incision, insert the healthy lung in the same way, and place it in the patient’s body.

In late February, the patient’s lung was transplanted for the first time using this technique, using the lung’s “inflate and deflate” ability to try to explain how such an organ could be removed and inserted through such a small opening, the surgeon said.

The transplanted patient, who introduced himself to reporters only under the name Xavier, also attended the press conference and claimed he had not felt “zero pain” since he regained consciousness after the operation.

Surgeon Albert Jauregui explained that the traditional lung transplant method requires opening the chest horizontally, from one side of the patient’s chest to the other, or between the ribs, in addition to having to move the ribs themselves to make room for the doctors. work that causes very severe pain in the postoperative period.

The fully robotic transplant, performed in February in Barcelona, ​​did not pierce ribs or other bones, so Xavier felt no pain, the doctor said, adding that because it is a “minimally invasive” operation, overall recovery is also ongoing. faster., in addition to reducing the risk of complications after transplantation.

In addition to the incision below the sternum, small incisions were made on the side of the chest to allow robotic arms (surgical instruments) and 3D cameras (three dimensions) to be inserted into the patient’s body.

Albert Jauregui stressed that the use of robotics allows operations to be carried out with high precision, which reduces risks in general and increases the likelihood of success of the intervention.

The doctor explained that the technique so far allows transplanting only one lung, but expressed confidence that soon it can be used in cases where it is necessary to transplant both lungs of the same person.

The University Hospital of Val d’Hebron in Barcelona is recognized as an international authority in the field of lung transplantation.