Sudish Murthy

This session features leading surgeons presenting on advanced techniques—including robotic implantation, carinal resection, and aortic valve replacement (AVR)—at the International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Annual Scientific Meeting 2026.

Anatomic segmentectomy has emerged as an effective option for the management of early-stage lung cancer; however, the division of intersegmental parenchyma remains technically challenging. The authors describe and illustrate the exclusion technique, a bronchus-last strategy that utilizes an endoleader catheter to guide parenchymal division and simplify segmentectomy.

Introduction A 77-year-old male developed a small tracheoesophageal fistula following pill impaction, which was initially treated unsuccessfully with esophageal stents, a tracheal stent, and a gastrostomy tube with tube feeds. He was referred to the authors’ institution for further management due to ongoing cough and aspiration. A barium swallow demonstrated a persistent fistula approximately 5 cm above the carina.