Douglas J. Minnich

About

Douglas J. Minnich is a pioneering thoracic surgeon whose work has fundamentally shaped the field of robotic thoracic surgery. His research focuses on the development, implementation, and optimization of minimally invasive robotic techniques for pulmonary resection, esophagectomy, and mediastinal pathology. Dr. Minnich’s major contributions include establishing the safety and feasibility of completely portal robotic pulmonary resection with four arms, as demonstrated in his highly cited 2011 paper (339 citations). He has also provided critical guidance on starting robotic programs, managing complications like postoperative chylothorax (137 citations) and major vascular injuries (100 citations), and analyzing the cost-effectiveness of robotic lobectomy and segmentectomy (123 citations). His work on bronchoscopic pleural dye marking for occult nodules (80 citations) and his systematic approach to teaching robotic lobectomy while maintaining quality (57 citations) further underscore his impact. With over 1,200 total citations across his top ten papers, Dr. Minnich is a leading authority in robotic thoracic surgery, known for advancing both technical innovation and patient safety.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Initial consecutive experience of completely portal robotic pulmonary resection with 4 arms

   339 citations · 2011
2. 2
   Starting a Robotic Program in General Thoracic Surgery: Why, How, and Lessons Learned

   151 citations · 2011
3. 3
   The Incidence and Management of Postoperative Chylothorax After Pulmonary Resection and Thoracic Mediastinal Lymph Node Dissection

   137 citations · 2014
4. 4
   Performing Robotic Lobectomy and Segmentectomy: Cost, Profitability, and Outcomes

   123 citations · 2014
5. 5
   Incidence, Results, and Our Current Intraoperative Technique to Control Major Vascular Injuries During Minimally Invasive Robotic Thoracic Surgery

   100 citations · 2016
6. 6
   Thoracoscopic detection of occult indeterminate pulmonary nodules using bronchoscopic pleural dye marking

   80 citations · 2014
7. 7
   One Hundred Planned Robotic Segmentectomies: Early Results, Technical Details, and Preferred Port Placement

   79 citations · 2016
8. 8
   Operative techniques in robotic thoracic surgery for inferior or posterior mediastinal pathology

   75 citations · 2012
9. 9
   Robotic Esophagectomy for Cancer: Early Results and Lessons Learned

   62 citations · 2015
10. 10
    Robotic lobectomy can be taught while maintaining quality patient outcomes

    57 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links