title: Telesurgical evaluation of stable thoracic trauma patients: a feasibility study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated a robotic telesurgical platform in managing thoracic trauma in an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The da Vinci(®) robot was used to evaluate and treat a random number of blinded injuries in ten porcine thoraces.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-five percent of injuries were correctly identified. The median survey time was 20.5 min (range 16-63 min). The mean time to repair lung lacerations was 19.8 min (range 14-27.5 min) and to evacuate the hemothoraces, it was 5.3 min (range 4.5-6.5 min). Diaphragmatic lacerations required repositioning of the ports and the robot. Only two out of five lacerations were successfully repaired (mean time 38.8 min, range 32.5-45 min). All aortic injuries were correctly identified. One subject died of a pre-existing pneumonia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A robotic telesurgical approach to the evaluation of stable thoracic trauma patients is safe and feasible in a porcine model. Diaphragmatic injuries can be repaired but require repositioning of the robot.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, London Health Sciences Centre, 800 Commissioners Rd. East, Suite E2-124, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, London Health Sciences Centre, 800 Commissioners Rd. East, Suite E2-124, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Bottoni
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, London Health Sciences Centre, 800 Commissioners Rd. East, Suite E2-124, London, ON, N6A 5W9, Canada. Richard.Malthaner@lhsc.on.ca.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Malthaner
keywords: Robotics; Swine; Telesurgery; Thoracic trauma
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