Dennis O’Neil became the first patient in Louisiana, Arkansas, or Mississippi to undergo a lung resection using robotic-assisted technology at LCMC’s East Jefferson Hospital, after imaging revealed malignant cancer cells in his right lung while he recovered from colon cancer, the university’s school of medicine announced.
In Plain English: The Clinical Takeaway
- Single-Port Access: Surgeons performed the operation through a single incision measuring 3 to 4 centimeters, avoiding traditional multi-port setups or large open-chest cuts.
- Rib-Sparing Technique: By operating below the rib cage rather than spreading the ribs apart, the approach limits trauma to the nerves along the spaces between ribs and the chest wall.
- Faster Recovery: Clinical tracking shows reduced postoperative pain, lower narcotic requirements, and shorter hospital stays compared to standard open procedures.
Lobectomy Procedure Performed Through a Single Incision
Dr. Wassim Abi Jaoude, assistant professor of cardiothoracic surgery at Tulane University School of Medicine, performed the lobectomy in July using a single-port robotic system. O’Neil required the removal of a section of a lung called a lobe after medical imaging identified malignant cells during his recovery from colon cancer.
Traditional open surgery typically requires a large incision up the torso and the mechanical spreading of the ribs, extending operating times to between three and six hours and hospital recovery up to a week. In contrast, the single-port method utilizes an incision measuring 3 to 4 centimeters below the rib cage. This technique minimizes discomfort by steering clear of the intercostal spaces, thereby lowering trauma to the nerves situated between the ribs and the chest wall.
Regulatory Clearance and Institutional Training
Following a six-month multi-site clinical trial across several U.S. medical centers, the Food and Drug Administration approved the da Vinci Single-Port robotic system in 2025 for thoracic operations, encompassing pulmonary lobectomies. While single-port robotic technology has seen prior use in specialties like prostate cancer and lymphedema care, its application in thoracic oncology represents a recent expansion.
Implementing the program at East Jefferson Hospital required months of education, simulation, laboratory training and credentialing for Abi Jaoude. Members of the cardiothoracic operating room team also completed specialized training before the procedure on O’Neil, who was discharged two days after surgery.
| Parameter | Traditional Open Lobectomy | Single-Port Robotic Lobectomy |
|---|---|---|
| Incision Type | Large torso incision with rib spreading | Single 3 to 4 cm incision below rib cage |
| Typical Operating Duration | 3 to 6 hours | Not specified |
| Average Hospital Stay | Up to 1 week | 2 days (O’Neil) |
| Postoperative Recovery | Higher narcotic requirements, slower baseline return | Reduced pain, lower narcotic needs, faster baseline return |
Pioneering Thoracic Oncology Across the Gulf South
“We are still pioneers and early adopters,” Abi Jaoude stated. “The fact that we are able to offer this technique at East Jefferson through Tulane is a milestone in creating a center of excellence for thoracic oncology.”
References
- Tulane University School of Medicine: Robotic-assisted lung resection announcement.
- Mayo Clinic: Single-port robotic surgery clinical overviews.
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA): da Vinci Single-Port robotic system thoracic surgery clearance (2025).
