# Quality of Lymph Node Dissection in Lung Cancer Surgery: A Comparative Analysis of Robotic‐Assisted Versus Video‐Assisted Thoracic Surgery Using Novel Pathological Criteria

## TL;DR

This study compares robotic and video-assisted surgeries for lung cancer, finding that robotic surgery allows for more lymph node dissection but not better microscopic quality.

## Contribution

The study introduces novel pathological criteria to evaluate lymph node dissection quality in lung cancer surgery.

## Key findings

- RATS resulted in more explored lymph node stations and resected nodes compared to VATS.
- No significant differences were observed in microscopic quality criteria between the two surgical methods.

## Abstract

Lymph node dissection is essential for lung cancer staging and treatment planning. This study compares the extent and quality of lymph node dissection between robot‐assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

In this prospective cohort study, 40 patients undergoing oncologic lobectomy via RATS (n = 20) or VATS (n = 20) were included. We assessed the number of explored lymph node stations, dissected nodes, and microscopic integrity criteria.

RATS resulted in a higher median number of explored stations (5 vs. 4; p = 0.0375) and resected nodes (8 vs. 6; p = 0.0432). However, no significant differences were found in the microscopic quality criteria.

RATS enables broader lymph node dissection but does not improve microscopic quality compared with VATS. These findings highlight the need for further studies to assess clinical outcomes.