The first comparative analysis of open and robotic tracheobronchoplasty for excessive central airway collapse†.

This article focuses on comparing postoperative complications and short-term outcomes between open tracheobronchoplasty (oTBP) and robotic tracheobronchoplasty (rTBP) for treating severe excessive central airway collapse (ECAC), a condition characterized by >90% airway collapse. Conducted at a high-volume complex airway center, the retrospective cohort study found that while robotic TBP had longer operative times, it resulted in significantly shorter intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital lengths of stay compared to the open approach. Both surgical methods showed equivalent rates of major and minor complications, no mortality, and similar improvements in functional and quality-of-life measures at three months postoperatively. The study concludes that robotic TBP is a safe and feasible alternative to open surgery in selected patients, though further research with longer follow-up is needed to assess long-term durability.