Background: This article aims to report our experience with robotic anatomic pulmonary resections in primary lung cancer patients aged 80 years and older and to compare the results with a younger patient population.

Methods: Data of 75 patients who were performed robotic anatomic pulmonary resection in our clinic between October 2011 and January 2015 for primary lung cancer were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into two groups as patients aged 80 years and older (octogenarians, n=7) (6 males, 1 female; mean age 82.0±1.8 years; range 80 to 84 years) and patients aged below 80 years (non-octogenarians, n=68) (51 males, 17 females; mean age 61±11 years; range 31 to 79 years) and the obtained results were compared.

Results: Four lobectomies and three segmentectomies were performed in the seven octogenarian patients. Mean docking, console, and total operation durations were 21±12, 75±10 minutes, and 101±20, respectively. Mean duration of hospital stay was 6±4 days. There was no mortality, but minor complications occurred in two patients (29%). Although octogenarians had lower pulmonary function test results and longer durations of chest tube and hospital stay, their resection types, operation durations, resected lymph node numbers, size of lesions, mortality and morbidity rates were similar compared to those of non-octogenarians.

Conclusion: This preliminary study demonstrates that postoperative outcomes of octogenarians who underwent robotic anatomic pulmonary resection were similar to those of younger patients. Anatomical pulmonary resections with robotic approach may be performed in carefully selected octogenarian patients with primary lung tumor who may tolerate the operation and complete resection.

Keywords : Lung cancer; octogenarian; outcomes; robotic lung resection