A bronchogenic cyst (BC), although a rare congenital abnormality, represents the most common cystic lesion in the mediastinum and can present with chest pain and shortness of breath, especially due to compression of adjacent vital structures. The most common diagnostic modalities used are computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These cysts may elude even a seasoned clinician unless they become symptomatic. For clinicians attempting to give optimum and prompt management for these cysts, robotic-assisted surgical resection is the recommended treatment of choice. Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) offers precision and enhanced visualization, making it a safe and accurate approach for the removal of posterior mediastinal BCs. Our patient is a 65-year-old female who presented with symptomatic posterior mediastinal subcarinal BCs and underwent complete surgical resection with RATS. The diagnosis was confirmed with histopathology. Advancements and the clinical impact of RATS for mediastinal BCs including the Da Vinci robotic surgeries have been demonstrated to be minimally invasive, safe, and feasible especially when in difficult-to-reach areas. RATS has also proven to be advantageous in reducing disease burden and improving patient outcomes.
Keywords: bronchogenic cysts; computed tomography; posterior mediastinal mass; robotic thoracoscopic surgery; subcarinal.
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