Greenville, N.C. – Dr. Robert Allman, an ECU Health cardiothoracic surgeon, completed North Carolina’s first single-port robotic upper lobectomies using the Intuitive da Vinci SP (single port) robot. Dr. Allman performed the first right upper lobectomy on May 19, 2026, and the first left upper lobectomy on June 15, 2026, at ECU Health Medical Center.
Upper lobectomies are performed to remove lung nodules that could be cancerous. The da Vinci SP system allows surgeons to perform complex thoracic procedures through a single small incision rather than multiple incisions required in traditional minimally invasive surgery. This allows surgeons to operate from beneath the rib cage, minimizing irritation to the intercostal nerves that often contribute to post-surgical pain. Because the incision also serves as the extraction site, patients require only one incision during their procedure.
“The single port system is an important tool to provide expanded cardiothoracic care in the state and the region,” Dr. Allman said. “From my perspective patients are experiencing less pain, which means they can continue their necessary treatment for cancer and other ailments with less time spent recovering from surgery.”
Reducing post-surgical pain provides benefits beyond patient comfort. In older adults and other vulnerable patients, severe chest pain may limit deep breathing and mobility during recovery, increasing the risk of complications such as pneumonia. By minimizing post-operative pain, surgeons hope to improve recovery outcomes and help patients resume additional treatments sooner when needed.
The technology also expands treatment options for patients whose health marked them at risk for more invasive procedures.
Since launching the program this spring, ECU Health has completed approximately 15 single-port robotic thoracic procedures. The technology is being used for a growing range of thoracic operations and positions ECU Health among a limited number of academic health systems nationwide utilizing the platform for lung resections.
“Being the first health system in the state to perform this procedure is an impressive milestone that shows ECU Health is committed to ensuring patients across eastern North Carolina access to high-quality, minimally invasive treatment close to home,” said Jay Briley, president of ECU Health Medical Center. “This technology is another option physicians can tailor to patients’ needs and an important tool that expands our ability to serve the region.”
The procedures were supported by Dr. Carlos Anciano, Dr. Aundrea Oliver, Dr. James Speicher, Dr. Mark Iannettoni and Dr. Lauren Johnson.