Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41065897›Full record

ArticleJournal of robotic surgery2025

Postoperative pain after robotic versus VATS thymectomy: a comparative cohort study.

Junichi Murakami, Toshiki Tanaka, Mototsugu Shimokawa, Sota Yoshimine, Naohiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Kurazumi, Kimikazu Hamano

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of robotic surgery, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Junichi MurakamiDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan. murajun@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp.
Toshiki TanakaDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.
Mototsugu ShimokawaDepartment of Biostatistics, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.
Sota YoshimineDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.
Naohiro YamamotoDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.
Hiroshi KurazumiDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.
Kimikazu HamanoDepartment of Surgery and Clinical Science, Division of Chest Surgery, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveRobotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) is an alternative to video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for thymectomy, but detailed comparisons of postoperative pain, a critical patient-centered outcome, are limited. This study aimed to compare longitudinal pain trajectories and recovery outcomes between RATS and VATS thymectomy.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study included 125 consecutive patients who underwent minimally invasive thymectomy (58 RATS, 67 VATS) from 2011 to 2025. The primary endpoints were postoperative pain intensity, measured using serial Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) scores, and the time to pain recovery (NRS ≤ 2). Group comparisons were made using appropriate statistical tests, and a multivariate model was used to adjust for confounders and identify independent predictors for pain recovery.

resultsThe RATS group had lower overall NRS scores compared to the VATS group (p < 0.001) and achieved the time to pain recovery (NRS ≤ 2) in a shorter time (log-rank p < 0.001). RATS was also associated with less blood loss and a shorter postoperative hospital stay. Analgesic requirements were lower for the RATS group only during the first three postoperative days (p = 0.004). On multivariate analysis, the RATS approach (Hazard Ratio [HR], 3.28; p < 0.001) and omission of chest tube drainage (HR, 2.42; p = 0.001) were independent predictors of faster pain recovery.

conclusionsRATS for thymectomy is associated with lower intensity of postoperative pain, leading to a faster recovery compared to VATS. These findings suggest the robotic approach offers superior patient-centered benefits, particularly in the early postoperative period.

Indexed as

Postoperative PainRobotic Surgical ProceduresThoracic Surgery, Video-AssistedThymectomyAdultAgedCohort StudiesFemaleHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesMinimally invasive surgeryPostoperative painRobot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS)ThymectomyVideo-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)

Identifiers

PMID41065897

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.