Robotic harvest of a latissimus dorsi flap using a single-port surgical robotic system in breast reconstruction

Robot-assisted surgery is evolving to incorporate a higher number of minimally invasive techniques. There is a growing interest in robotic breast reconstruction that uses autologous tissue. Since a traditional latissimus dorsi (LD) flap leads to a long donor scar, which can be an unpleasant burden to patients, there have been many attempts to decrease the scar length using minimally invasive approaches. This study presents the case of a patient who underwent a robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy followed by immediate breast reconstruction with an LD flap using a single-port robotic surgery system. With the assistance of a single-port robot, a simple docking process using a short and less visible incision is possible. Compared to multiport surgery systems, single-port robots can reduce the possibility of collision between robotic arms and provide a clear view of the medial border of the LD where the curvature of the back restricts the visual field. We recommend the use of single-port robots as a minimally invasive approach for harvesting LD flaps.

Keywords

Mammaplasty - Robotic surgical procedures - Single port - Latissimus dorsi flap - Breast neoplasms

This article was presented at the 10th Global Breast Cancer Conference (GBCC) on April 8-10, 2021, in Seoul, Korea.

The authors thank Medical Illustration & Design, part of the Medical Research Support Services of Yonsei University College of Medicine, for all artistic support related to this work.

Publication History

Received: 29 April 2021

Accepted: 16 June 2021

Article published online:
22 May 2022

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