Robotic-Assisted Lobectomies in the National Cancer Database

Mortality after RobATS lobectomy at experienced hospitals is not significantly different than at inexperienced hospitals. Though conversion rates decrease with experience, patients who undergo conversion have higher mortality than those who do not, particularly in hospitals with more experience. This suggests that a deliberate effort to increase experience with and improve patient selection for RobATS lobectomies may ameliorate the conversions and their attendant sequelae.