The gold standard technique for thymectomy used to be transsternal approach. Advancements in modern technology bring many evolutions in minimally invasive surgery such as Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) thymectomy gained popularity after 2000s. Recently, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has become into as an alternative approach to either, open surgery or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The superiorities of RATS have been reported in series studies, such as intuitive movements, tremor filtration, more degrees of manipulative freedom, motion scaling, and high-definition stereoscopic vision.~However, the currently reported robotic thymectomy used 3 ports. Theoretically, less incisions may bring faster postoperative recovery, lighter postoperative pain and higher postoperative quality of life. The investigators have successfully performed robotic thymectomy through 2 ports and even 1 port. However, the potential benefit of less ports robotic thymectomy has not been verified through well-designed cohort study, so this clinical trial has been designed.
Recently, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) has become into as an alternative approach to either, open surgery or video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The superiorities of RATS have been reported in series studies, such as intuitive movements, tremor filtration, more degrees of manipulative freedom, motion scaling, and high-definition stereoscopic vision.~However, the currently reported robotic thymectomy used 3 ports. Theoretically, less incisions may bring faster postoperative recovery, lighter postoperative pain and higher postoperative quality of life. The investigators have successfully performed robotic thymectomy through 2 ports and even 1 port. However, the potential benefit of less ports robotic thymectomy has not been verified through well-designed cohort study, so this clinical trial has been designed.