Hiroshi Sugimura

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Hiroshi Sugimura is a pioneering thoracic surgeon whose work has significantly advanced minimally invasive approaches to lung cancer surgery and pulmonary metastasectomy. His research centers on the development and refinement of robotic-assisted and single-incision surgical techniques, with a particular focus on reducing patient trauma while maintaining oncologic rigor. Sugimura’s most cited work, “Single-Incision Subxiphoid Approach for Bilateral Metastasectomy” (2014, 56 citations), introduced a novel, less invasive method for accessing both lungs through a single small incision beneath the sternum, offering patients faster recovery and less postoperative pain compared to traditional sternotomy or thoracotomy. He also performed the first robot-assisted major lung resection in Japan using the da Vinci Surgical System (2010), demonstrating the feasibility of robotic lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection in a landmark case. This achievement helped pave the way for broader adoption of robotic thoracic surgery in the country. Sugimura’s contributions are foundational for surgeons seeking to combine the precision of robotics with the benefits of ultra-minimally invasive access, and his work continues to influence the evolution of video-assisted and robotic thoracic surgery worldwide.