Sara Ricciardi

About

Sara Ricciardi is a leading thoracic surgeon whose research has fundamentally shaped the adoption and standardization of robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS). Her work centers on proving the safety, efficacy, and oncologic validity of robotic approaches for major lung and esophageal resections, particularly in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Ricciardi’s landmark contributions include demonstrating that robotic lobectomy achieves effective nodal upstaging (41 citations), a critical marker of accurate cancer staging, and establishing the learning curve for complex procedures like McKeown esophagectomy (34 citations). She was instrumental in developing the first international consensus statement on robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) (26 citations), providing strong, evidence-based recommendations for its use. Her influential comparative analyses—such as “From ‘open’ to robotic assisted thoracic surgery: why RATS and not VATS?” (13 citations)—have clarified the unique advantages of robotic systems over traditional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). More recently, her national multicenter studies on robotic thymectomy for thymic tumors (14 citations) have provided crucial long-term oncologic and neurological outcomes data, solidifying robotic thymectomy as a gold-standard approach. With over 195 total citations, Ricciardi’s work continues to drive the global shift toward minimally invasive robotic thoracic surgery.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Nodal upstaging evaluation in NSCLC patients treated by robotic lobectomy

   41 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Assessment of Quality Outcomes and Learning Curve for Robot-Assisted Minimally Invasive McKeown Esophagectomy

   34 citations · 2020
3. 3
   International consensus statement on robot-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE)

   26 citations · 2020
4. 4
   How to get the best from robotic thoracic surgery

   21 citations · 2018
5. 5
   Long-term oncologic results for robotic major lung resection in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients

   18 citations · 2019
6. 6
   Robotic thymectomy in thymic tumours: a multicentre, nation-wide study

   14 citations · 2024
7. 7
   From “open” to robotic assisted thoracic surgery: why RATS and not VATS?

   13 citations · 2018
8. 8
   Treatment of pulmonary nodule: from VATS to RATS

   11 citations · 2018
9. 9
   Robotic lobectomies: when and why?

   10 citations · 2017
10. 10
    National Multicenter Study on the Comparison of Robotic and Open Thymectomy for Thymic Neoplasms in Myasthenic Patients: Surgical, Neurological and Oncological Outcomes

    7 citations · 2024

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links