Robotic surgery system offers new hope for lung cancer patients 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 3, 2025) – When Shelia Binion went to UK St. Claire for a lung biopsy, it happened to be on her birthday.  

Binion had undergone a CT scan for a breast abscess that happened to also reveal a lung nodule. A follow up scan showed the nodule in her lung had grown, so her doctor ordered a biopsy to rule out cancer. The nodule was in a precarious place, and the chance of her lung collapsing during the biopsy was high. Collapse it did, and Binion was admitted to the hospital. Just when she thought her birthday couldn’t get any worse, the biopsy revealed Stage 1 lung cancer, and she would have to have surgery. 

The cancer diagnosis was bad enough, but the prospect of an invasive surgery to remove part of her lung was equally harrowing. As a caretaker to her husband who has mobility issues, the thought of a major surgery with a long, painful recovery was even scarier. How would she be able to help her husband if her movement and activity were restricted for weeks – perhaps even months? 

But Binion was due for a bit of good luck; she happened to be a perfect candidate for surgery with Intuitive's Da Vinci SP robot, a minimally invasive alternative surgical system that has been recently been approved by the FDA for thoracic surgery. Even luckier, the only hospital in Kentucky currently using the SP robot for thoracic surgeries is UK HealthCare’s Chandler Hospital, only 90 minutes away from her home in Grayson. 

The SP stands for “single port,” meaning the robot has a single arm that contains the camera and the surgical instruments that require only one, four-centimeter incision. Previous iterations of surgical robots have multiple arms, which require multiple incisions. Kentucky has some of the highest rates of lung cancer in the country, and surgeons are excited to offer some patients an alternative to major surgery and radiation. Surgical teams at UK HealthCare have previously used the SP robot for urology and ENT procedures; the recent FDA approval for thoracic surgery is great news for patients like Binion.  

Prior to the surgery, Binion met surgeon Mansi Shah-Jadeja, M.D., at the thoracic surgery clinic at St. Claire, and the two instantly bonded.  

“She told me that my nodule was really small, and she thought she could cut it out with the robotic procedure,” said Binion. “She said I wouldn’t have much pain, mostly soreness, and they wouldn’t have to cut me open. So that’s a plus.” 

For patients like Binion, the absence of pain during recovery is the main benefit of the SP robot. As the country grapples with the throes of the opioid epidemic, surgeons and medical technology companies are constantly exploring new techniques that would reduce the patient’s need for pain medication during recovery. Traditional surgeries involve large incisions through muscles and nerves; in addition to the pain, patients often must take extended leave from work – not to mention the impact on home and family life. As the caretaker for her husband, Binion simply didn’t have the time for a long recovery under the fog of pain medication. 

“I think the adaptation of the single port robot will be a game changer for the residents of Kentucky,” said Shah, a member of the UK Markey Cancer Center. “We are seeing a dramatic decrease in the amount of postoperative pain and the amount of postoperative narcotic use. We predict this will lead to shorter recovery times, return to work sooner, and a return to life sooner.” 

A few weeks later, on July 1, Binion arrived at UK Chandler Hospital for her procedure.  

“I wasn’t one bit nervous when I went into surgery,” she said. “[Shah] came in and asked if I was ready to get this done. I wasn’t nervous or scared. She just made me feel so comfortable. I just love her. She’s the best doctor.” 

Binion underwent a lower lobe segmentectomy, a procedure to remove a section of the lower lobe of the lung. The procedure took three hours. After two days, Binion was discharged, back to her home in Grayson with her husband and dog Bentley.  

For about two weeks, Binion was advised to take it easy. As promised by Shah, Binion had practically no pain, just soreness. She never took any pain medication. And the good news kept coming. 

“Dr. Shah was getting ready to go on vacation right after my surgery,” Binion said. “So, to my surprise, she called me and told me she was getting ready to leave on vacation, but she just had to call me and tell me everything was clear and that I was cancer-free. How many doctors do that? Not very many.” 

“We are very excited to be able to bring this new technology to the patients of Kentucky and surrounding regions and hope that we can help a broader range of patients due to the expedited recovery,” said Shah. “We also hope that this new technology and the faster recovery will encourage more people to seek lung cancer screening and treatment.” 

For more information about candidacy for robotic surgery as treatment for lung cancer, ask your primary care provider for a referral to UK HealthCare.