Assessment of Quality Outcomes and the Learning Curve for Robot-Assisted Anatomical Lung Resections

Abstract

Background:

To determine the perioperative quality assessment results and learning curves for robot-assisted anatomical lung resection.

Methods:

We analyzed the data of the initial 400 patients who underwent lobectomies or segmentectomies by 1 surgeon from January 2020 to November 2021. The learning curve was analyzed using cumulative sum analysis.

Results:

The surgical experience was divided into an initial phase (1st–40th procedures), a transition phase (41st–131st procedures), and a proficient phase (132nd procedure onward). The operative time showed a conspicuously continuous improvement over the 400 consecutive patients. After the 120th procedure, there were significant improvements in the rate of persistent air leakage (11.7% versus 3.9%; P = .003), chest tube duration (3.92 ± 1.91 versus 2.99 ± 1.31, P = .00), and postoperative hospital stay (6.22 ± 2.02 versus 4.93 ± 1.44, P = .00).

Conclusions:

In conclusion, 40 patients were necessary to pass the learning curve, and technical proficiency with favorable perioperative outcomes was achieved after 120–130 patients.