Robotic surgery at FV Hospital removes stage 3A lung tumour

As a pharmacist, Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha – born in 1984, living in Ho Chi Minh City – pays close attention to changes in her health. When her fatigue worsened in the run-up to the traditional Lunar New Year, she went for a health check-up. The diagnosis came as a shock: she had lung cancer.

The 3cm tumour was located in the lower lobe of her right lung, in a dangerous position adjacent to several major blood vessels.

One hospital advised her to undergo chemotherapy first to shrink the tumour due to concerns about extensive tissue removal and the risk of significant blood loss during surgery.

Dr. Thanh performs robotic-assisted lung cancer surgery using the Da Vinci Xi system. Photo: FV

As someone working in the healthcare field, Ha felt uneasy about this treatment approach and sought further advice from specialists.

During her research, she visited the da Vinci Robotic Surgery Centre at FV Hospital, where she was consulted directly by Dr. Dang Dinh Minh Thanh, head of the Centre and a specialist in robotic thoracic surgery.

After reviewing Ha’s medical records, Dr. Thanh recommended a different approach: early surgery instead of chemotherapy.

“After chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the tumour may adhere tightly to the blood vessels and bronchi, making surgery significantly more difficult and potentially less effective,” Dr. Thanh said, explaining that given the characteristics of the tumour, robotic-assisted surgery was considered the most suitable treatment option.

According to Dr. Thanh, operating in deep and narrow areas close to major blood vessels can be challenging with conventional surgical techniques due to limited flexibility and natural hand tremors.

In contrast, robotic surgical systems offer highly flexible instrument movement, tremor elimination, and highly magnified high-definition visualisation, enabling surgeons to carefully dissect tumours while preserving surrounding vital structures.

“I had heard about robotic surgery before, but after receiving detailed consultation from Dr. Thanh, I felt completely confident choosing FV Hospital for my treatment,” Ha said.

The 100-minute surgery was performed by Dr. Dang Dinh Minh Thanh using the da Vinci Xi robotic system – currently one of the world’s most advanced robotic surgical platforms.

Just one day after surgery, Ha was able to sit up and talk with Dr. Thanh. Photo: FV

Thanks to the robot’s precision and enhanced visualisation capabilities, the tumour was completely removed without the need for additional resection of other lung lobes. Associated lymph nodes were also successfully removed.

“Everything went according to plan and even more smoothly than expected thanks to the support of the robotic system,” Dr. Thanh said after the surgery.

The benefits of minimally invasive robotic surgery became evident the very next day. Without experiencing severe postoperative pain or prolonged dependence on drainage tubes, Ha was able to sit up comfortably and speak with family members and doctors.

For her, the procedure was not only successful medically but also remarkably gentle in terms of recovery. She recovered rapidly after surgery and was discharged just three days later.

“Although I had researched robotic surgery beforehand, I only truly understood its effectiveness after experiencing it myself. This truly feels like a major advancement in medical technology,” Ha said.

According to Dr. Thanh, patients may receive targeted therapy after surgery to help maintain long-term health outcomes. He also advised that patients recovering from pneumonia should undergo follow-up CT scans after three to four weeks to help detect potential malignancies early and prevent disease progression.

FV expands robotic surgery across multiple specialities

The FV da Vinci Robotic Surgery Centre began operations in early 2026 with a comprehensive clinical ecosystem, including specialised physician training, standardised surgical protocols, and internationally accredited operating room systems.

The initiative reflects FV Hospital’s strategy to bring advanced medical technology closer to patients in Vietnam.

Doctors perform surgery at the FV da Vinci Robotic Surgery Centre. Photo: FV

At the FV da Vinci Robotic Surgery Centre, robotic-assisted surgery is currently being applied across multiple specialities to improve surgical precision, treatment effectiveness, and postoperative recovery:

*Thoracic Surgery: Lung cancer, mediastinal tumours, thymus tumours, and oesophageal surgery.

*Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary, and Pancreatic Surgery: Gastrectomy, colorectal resection, liver resection, and pancreatic resection.

*Urology: Prostatectomy, nephrectomy (kidney removal), and bladder resection.

*Gynaecology: Hysterectomy, treatment for endometriosis, removal of uterine fibroids, and treatment for gynaecological cancers.

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