Robotic Excision of Posterior Mediastinal Schwannoma

A schwannoma is a type of a tumor of the nerve sheath. It's the most common type of benign peripheral nerve tumor in adults. It can occur anywhere in the body, at any age. Occasionally, it appears within the chest and can affect the anterior or posterior mediastinum. Surgical excision is the preferable treatment option. Until now, several approaches have been used for resection, mainly thoracotomy or VATS techniques. However, in the robotic era, we have the ability to perform the same procedure with more accuracy, faster, safer, and of course with less pain and scars. This video demonstrates how a posterior mediastinal schannoma in a 58 year old symptomatic woman was excised and describes each step of the operation.