Subxiphoid or subcostal uniportal robotic-assisted surgery: early experimental experience

During the past several years minimally invasive thoracic surgery has evolved from thoracoscopic approaches using 3–4 ports to a single incision video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) techniques (1-3). Recently, the experience acquired with the uniportal VATS technique through the intercostal space has allowed the development of use of a uniportal VATS subxiphoid or subcostal approach for major pulmonary resections (4,5).