PORTaL Study Points to Better Outcomes

The cadre of high-quality clinical studies on robotic-assisted surgery continues to grow with a new landmark study, “Pulmonary Open, Robotic and Thoracoscopic Lobectomy (PORTaL) Study: An Analysis of 5,721 Cases” published in Annals of Surgery, a premier, peer-reviewed medical journal of surgical sciences and practice.

This unique study represents real-world evidence of a wide array of perioperative clinical outcomes by analyzing data from 21 academic institutions, more than 50 surgeons, and 7,200 patients to compare the real-world effectiveness of open, robotic, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgeries (VATS). Results from the study revealed numerous benefits of robotic-assisted lobectomy—a procedure that removes a diseased or cancerous lobe of the lung—over other surgical approaches.

The results published in Annals of Surgery, looked at comparable patients who had undergone minimally invasive lobectomies, including both robotic-assisted and VATS. The study data shows that robotic-assisted procedures were associated with lower overall post-operative complications, shorter hospital stays, and commensurate in-hospital mortality rates when compared to open lobectomies.

Further, in cases with no concomitant procedures, robotic-assisted lobectomies were associated with lower operating times when compared with both open and VATS lobectomies. This is the first finding of this nature in more than two decades of research, and the large sample size and real-world nature of the study suggests that the result will sustain at scale.

Additionally, in 2020 and 2021, results from the study were presented at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons annual meeting. Attendees included approximately 2,300 cardiothoracic surgery professionals from around the world, making up the largest international organization representing thoracic and cardiovascular surgeons.

Affirmed by Annals of Surgery’s rigorous standards for acceptance, the PORTaL study upholds Intuitive’s values in scientific integrity and the execution of high-level objectivity through robust data quality measures.

The study is a hallmark of Intuitive’s conviction and dedication to working with clinicians, hospitals, and medical and surgical societies to provide high quality and objective research, while supporting potential benefits of Intuitive technologies with a patients-first mindset.

“What stands out with the PORTaL study is its size relative to other similar studies and the data that helps confirm what we’ve seen across the clinical landscape in terms of specific outcomes for robotic-assisted procedures,” said Shilpa Mehendale, global vice president of Clinical Affairs. “The clinical evidence behind robotic-assisted procedures continues to point toward generally better outcomes for patients.”

There are more than 30,000 peer-reviewed studies supporting benefits of Intuitive technologies published in various scientific journals—an important strategic driver for Intuitive’s decades-long commitment for generating high-quality evidence through collaborative research initiatives.