Figure 1.

A representative style of 3-incision robotic surgery. Port placement for a left-side operation is shown in (A). A small utility window (U) is placed at the fifth intercostal space. Three da Vinci trocars are placed at the eighth intercostal space. Note that the trocars for the scope (S) and left hand (L) are placed via the same window, and that the trocar for the scope is located at the most ventral side among the 3 da Vinci trocars: the trocar for right hand (R) is placed at the eighth intercostal space. (B) shows 3 wounds with a chest tube. Using our port placement, the patient-side surgeon can freely use the forceps without interference from the robotic arms (C).