Barcelona

First fully robotic lung transplant in the world

City News
In Barcelona, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital has accomplished two significant achievements in the area of lung transplants. For the first time in surgical history, a group of professionals successfully conducted the procedure, utilizing a minimally invasive robotic surgery technique – endoscopy.

Additionally, a novel access route was established for the extraction of diseased lungs and insertion of new ones. The new access route necessitates only an 8-centimeter incision made in the lower section of the sternum, just above the diaphragm. Thus, it is no longer necessary to make a large 30-centimeter opening by separating the ribs and opening up the thorax, which was the only available option until now.

This pioneering procedure was performed on a 65-year-old man requiring a lung transplant due to pulmonary fibrosis.