Robotic thoracic surgery in thyroid and parathyroid pathology

Introduction and objective: During the last decade there has been a wide spread of minimally invasive thoracic approaches for the treatment of pulmonary and mediastinal diseases. Classically, thoracic surgical pathology derived from thyroid and parathyroid diseases has been treated by open approaches such as sternotomy, cervicoesternotomy and thoracotomy. However, in recent years, robotic surgery has emerged as a new route of minimally invasive approach that provides similar results and significant advantages over other minimally invasive approaches such as laparoscopy and videothoracoscopy. Its applicability in the surgical treatment of mediastinal lesions has been amply demonstrated in the literature. The aim of this article is to describe the indications of thoracic robotic surgery in thyroid and parathyroid pathology, as well as to comment on the main technical aspects related to these procedures. Synthesis: Robotic thoracic surgery is especially indicated in cases of << forgotten goiters >> and ectopic goiters. In cases of cervical-mediastinal goiters, the combined cervical and thoracic robotic approach has been shown to be a feasible and safe option. With regard to mediastinal ectopic parathyroids, the robotic approach offers significant advantages such as 3D vision and the optimization of the maneuverability of instruments that facilitate the visualization and dissection of the gland. Conclusions: Robotic surgery is an effective and safe minimally invasive approach for the treatment of thyroid and parathyroid pathology of mediastinal location and could constitute the approach of choice in patients with forgotten goiters, ectopic goiters and mediastinal parathyroid adenomas.