Doctors perform world’s first fully robotic double lung transplant

Last year, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health performed a fully robotic double lung transplant using a da Vinci Xi robot from Intuitive Surgical. This breakthrough surgery represents a leap in the potential of robotic surgery.

Stephanie H. Chang, M.D., surgical director of the Lung Transplant Program at the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, led the procedure. Her team transplanted both lungs into a 57-year-old woman, Cheryl Mehrkakr, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using the da Vinci Xi robotic system at each stage.

Just four days after Mehrkakr was added to the lung transplant list, she received the transplant. Mehrkar, who inherited a genetic predisposition to lung disease, was diagnosed with COPD in 2010 at 43 years old. Her condition worsened after a bout with COVID-19 in 2022.

The team started the procedure by making small incisions between the ribs. They then used Intuitive Surgical’s robotic system to remove the lung, prepare the surgical site for implantation, and implant the new lung.

Dr. Chang was assisted by Travis C. Geraci, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Eugene A. Grossi, M.D., the Stephen B. Colvin, M.D., professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery at New York University.

“This latest breakthrough in robotic surgery speaks to the culture of innovation we’ve built by bringing the most talented people in their fields together,” stated Robert Montgomery, M.D., D.Phil.

“Our Transplant Institute team pushes the field forward to better serve our patients and deliver the lifesaving care they need with the best patient experience,” he said. Montgomery is also the H. Leon Pachter, MD, professor of surgery; chair of the Department of Surgery; and director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute.

Explore the RBR50 Robotics Innovation Awards 2025.