Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Sachiko Tochii is a pioneering thoracic surgeon whose research has fundamentally advanced minimally invasive surgical techniques, particularly for thymic and pulmonary conditions. Working at the intersection of robotic surgery and novel anatomical approaches, Tochii has become internationally recognized for developing and refining the subxiphoid approach to thymectomy — a technique that avoids conventional sternotomy and intercostal incisions, significantly reducing patient trauma and recovery time. Tochii's most influential contributions include the development of single-port thymectomy and trans-subxiphoid robotic thymectomy using the da Vinci surgical system, with these landmark studies accumulating 68 and 57 citations respectively, reflecting their substantial impact on the surgical community. Her 2014 work on single-incision subxiphoid bilateral metastasectomy (56 citations) further demonstrated the versatility of this approach beyond thymic disease. A true innovator in robotic surgery, Tochii performed Japan's first robot-assisted major lung resection using the da Vinci system in 2010 and has continued pushing boundaries with the hinotori™ surgical robot system as recently as 2024. Across more than a decade, her team has performed subxiphoid thymectomy on over 268 patients, establishing robust evidence for its feasibility and safety. Her body of work represents a sustained, evolving contribution to less invasive thoracic surgery.