World’s first Lung transplant performed by robot

The world’s first robotic lung transplant has been successfully carried out by a team of surgeons in Spain (and a robot, obviously). Lung transplants are known for being complex operations, with the patient’s chest and ribs having to be cut through. Thanks to their new robot helper, the surgeons at Vall d'Hebron Hospital in Barcelona only had to make small incisions in the side of the ribcage, after which the robot’s arms and 3D cameras took over, inserting a ‘pre-deflated’ lung with the minimum of fuss.
65-year-old Xavier, the recipient of the lung, said, ‘From the moment I regained consciousness and woke up from general anaesthesia, I had zero pain.’ It’s thought that because the new technique is far less invasive, patients will recover faster and have a better quality of life post-procedure.
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