First case of combined robot-assisted thymectomy and transaxillary thyroidectomy: technique and robot-docking optimization

Robot-assisted thymectomy and total transaxillary thyroidectomy represent two excellent therapeutic options for functional and oncological diseases of these two organs. We report the first case in literature of combined robot-assisted resection. The patient was positioned in supine position with the left arm raised cranially 90°–120° to expose the axillary area. After completing the thymectomy we rotated 30° counter-clockwise the robot for the second surgical time. This led to an optimization of disposable instruments and a gain in terms of hospitalization and postoperative recovery for the patient. To perform these two procedures it was enough to rotate 30° the robot.