Outside the Cage (OTC) Robotic Lobectomy — OTC-RATS  

Lung Cancer Stage I Clinical Trial

Official title: Outside the Cage (OTC) Robotic Lobectomy, Single Center Human Phase I Trial

Status Active, not recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

This study consists in a prospective pilot study evaluating the feasibility and safety of OTC RATS lobectomies in patients treated for lung cancer. All patients with clinical stage I tumors (≤cT2N0M0) planned to undergo a VATS or RATS lobectomy at the CHUM will be approached. At our institution, lobectomies are either performed open by thoracotomy or by MIS, including VATS and RATS. The technique is selected based on tumor size, tumor location and patient characteristics. Only patients already planned for a VATS or RATS lobectomy will be approached. They will be identified through the operation request forms and will be approached either in the preoperative clinic or the day before surgery, when admitted. The investigators aim to recruit 20 patients.

Clinical Trial Description

Consenting patients will undergo lobectomy by OTC RATS following the exact standard steps usually done by VATS/RATS, aside from the ports that will be placed in the subcostal plane. The characteristics of both the patient and the case, will determine the number of incisions from 1-4.

The Davinci Xi® surgical system will be used to perform the lobectomy through the ports using the standard technique with an anterior approach. Once the procedure is completed, the robotic arms and ports will be removed from the chest and figure-of-8 stitches with non absorbable sutures will be placed to close the diaphragm at the site of insertion. A 24 Fr soft chest tube will be left in place, as in the standard VATS/RATS lobectomy procedure. The incision closure will be done in a standard manner.

Enrolled patients will receive standard postoperative care. Chest tube removal and discharge will be decided by the treating surgeon, following the same criteria as VATS/RATS lobectomies. Images and videos will be recorded during the procedure. The postoperative course will be monitored in case of potential complications up to the 30-day follow-up appointment. Medical records will be verified to obtain postoperative outcomes at follow-up appointments at the surgical clinic.

All data pertaining to the 1-year follow-up will be collected and analysed retrospectively. Chronic pain of OTC RATS lobectomy patients will be compared to that of VATS lobectomy patients, for which the data will also be collected and analysed retrospectively. A propensity match score will be conducted using the two groups of patients, divided by surgical approach, to adequately interpret the degree of chronic pain experienced by patients who have received surgery using an OTC approach versus the current minimally invasive thoracic approach. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Lung Cancer Stage I

• NCT number: NCT05832112
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM)
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: February 22, 2023
• Completion date: June 9, 2024