Objective To evaluate clinical outcomes of complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery （VATS） lobectomy for patients with peripheral lung cancer.?Methods?We retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 90 consecutive patients with peripheral lung cancer who underwent complete VATS lobectomy from July 2009 to December 2011 in Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Anhui Medical University. There were 55 male patients and 35 female patients with their age of 33-79 （62.5 ±11.5） years. Lymph node dissection group and number, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of postoperative chest drainage, length of postoperative hospitalization, postoperative morbidity and pain score were analyzed.?Results?There was no hospital death in this group. Operation time was 135.0±32.5 min, intraoperative blood loss was 230.0±80.4 ml, length of postoperative chest drainage was 4.8±2.1 days, and pain score on the third postoperative day was 5.3±1.2. A total of 520 groups and 1 568 lymph nodes were dissected during the operation, with 5.8 groups and 17.4 lymph nodes dissected in each patient. There were 71 groups with lymph node metastasis, a positive rate of 13.7% （71/520）. Postoperatively, 2 patients had hoarseness and 3 patients had chylothorax, who were all cured after proper treatment. Ninety patients were followed up for 1-24 months. During follow-up, 4 patients died of tumor metastasis, and other patients were all alive with good quality of life.?Conclusion?Complete VATS lobectomy is a minimally invasive technique for patients with peripheral lung cancer with better postoperative recovery and reduced pain level. The safety and degree of radical resection of complete VATS lobectomy is similar to those of routine thoracotomy lobectomy. Complete VATS lobectomy can be recommended as a surgical treatment for patients with peripheral lung cancer.
Objective To explore the learning curve and evaluate the safety of uniportal complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy. Methods We reviewed retrospectively the clinical data of 133 patients, who underwent uniportal VATS between March 2015 and October 2016 in Sichuan Provincial Cancer Hospital. There were 79 males and 54 females at age of 52.21±10.77 years. Results All the 127 patients completed uniportal VATS, 4.51% (6/133) converted to open surgery. There were 78 patients with lobectomy, 6 patients with segmentectomy, 37 patients with wedge resection, 6 patients with pleural, mediastinal lymph node biopsy or mediastinal tumor resection. In the lobectomy group, mean surgical time was 148.75±34.12 min, mean blood loss was 118.87±59.96 ml, mean number of lymph nodes was 11.25±6.15, the mean duration of chest-tube placement was 2.17±1.35 days, and mean length of stay was 7.58±2.59 days. Conclusion Based on skillful performance of the conventional thoracoscopic lobectomy, the learning curve for single port thoracoscopic lobectomy comprises at least 20 patients. The uniportal VATS lobectomy is a safe and operable method of minimally invasive technique, and it is worthy to be applied in thoracic surgery.
Objective To compare the perioperative outcomes of atypical segmentectomy between robotic-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) and conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MethodsThe data of patients who underwent minimally invasive anatomic atypical segmentectomy in our hospital from October 2016 to December 2021 were collected. These patients were divided into a RATS group and a VATS group according to the operation method. Propensity score (PS) matching was used to select patients with close clinical baseline characteristics, and the perioperative results of the two groups were compared. ResultsA total of 1 048 patients were enrolled, including 320 males and 728 females, with a mean age of 53.51±11.13 years. There were 277 patients in the RATS group and 771 patients in the VATS group. After 1∶1 PS matching, 277 pairs were selected. Both groups were well balanced for age, sex, smoking history, body mass index, Charlson comorbidity index, pulmonary function, tumor size, tumor location, and histological type. All patients were R0 resection, and there were no deaths within 30 days after surgery. The RATS group had shorter operative time [85 (75, 105) min vs. 115 (95, 140) min, P<0.001] and less blood loss [50 (30, 100) mL vs. 60 (50, 100) mL, P=0.001]. There were no statistical differences between the two groups in lymph node resection, conversion to thoracotomy, thoracic drainage time, total amount of thoracic drainage or postoperative complications (P>0.05). ConclusionBoth RATS and VATS atypical segmentectomies are safe and feasible for early-stage NSCLC. RATS can effectively shorten the operative time, and reduce blood loss.
Objective To develop a novel methylene blue staining technique to localize small esophageal leiomyomas (<1.5 cm) and evaluate its feasibility. Methods Between January 2013 and October 2016, 9 patients with small esophageal leiomyomas (<1.5 cm) underwent thoracoscopic enucleation in Tongji Hospital. There were 5 males and 4 females with an average age of 51 years. We preoperatively injected 0.5–1.0 ml methylene blue in the submucosa adjacent to the tumors under the guidance of gastroscope. Then, we transferred the patients to the operating room. Results Staining was successful in 9 patients. The unstained tumor was exposed after the blue-stained mediastinal pleura and overlying muscle were incised longitudinally during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery via one utility port. No abnormalities were detected in the esophageal mucosa. No major complications, such as esophageal leakage or esophageal diverticulum occurred. Conclusion Endoscopic methylene blue staining is safe and feasible for localizing small esophageal leiomyomas during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery via one utility port. This method will enable enucleation precise and easy.
Objective To investigate the perioperative differences between video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy after neoadjuvant therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Clinical data of NSCLC patients who underwent VATS or thoracotomy after neoadjuvant therapy at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from June 2020 to May 2022 were retrospectively collected. Perioperative outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 260 patients were enrolled, 184 (70.8%) patients underwent VATS and 76 (29.2%) patients underwent thoracotomy. After propensity matching, there were 113 (62.4%) patients in the VATS group and 68 (37.6%) patients in the thoracotomy group. VATS had similar lymph node dissection ability and postoperative complication rate with thoracotomy (P>0.05), with the advantage of having shorter operative time (146.00 min vs. 165.00 min, P=0.006), less intraoperative blood loss (50.00 mL vs. 100.00 mL, P<0.001), lower intraoperative blood transfusion rate (0.0% vs. 7.4%, P=0.003), less 3-day postoperative drainage (250.00 mL vs. 350.00 mL, P=0.011; 180.00 mL vs. 250.00 mL, P=0.002; 150.00 mL vs. 235.00 mL, P<0.001), and shorter postoperative drainage time (9.34 d vs. 13.84 d, P<0.001) and postoperative hospitalization time (6.19 d vs. 7.94 d, P=0.006). Conclusion VATS after neoadjuvant therapy for NSCLC is safer than thoracotomy and results in better postoperative recovery.
ObjectiveTo analyze the occurrence of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) and the risk factors in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax who underwent micro single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).MethodsA total of 158 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax who underwent micro single-port VATS in our hospital from April 2017 to December 2019 were retrospectively included, including 99 males and 59 females, with an average age of 40.53±9.97 years. The patients were divided into a PPC group (n=21) and a non-PPC group (n=137) according to whether PPC occurred after the operation, and the risk factors for the occurrence of PPC were analyzed.ResultsAll 158 patients successfully completed the micro single-port VATS, and there was no intraoperative death. The postoperative chest tightness, chest pain, and dyspnea symptoms basically disappeared. During the postoperative period, there were 3 patients of pulmonary infection, 7 patients of atelectasis, 4 patients of pulmonary leak, 6 patients of pleural effusion, 1 patient of atelectasis and pleural effusion, and the incidence of PPC was 13.29% (21/158). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that lung disease [OR=32.404, 95%CI (2.717, 386.452), P=0.006], preoperative albumin level≤35 g/L [OR=14.912, 95%CI (1.719, 129.353), P=0.014], severe pleural adhesions [OR=26.023, 95%CI (3.294, 205.557), P=0.002], pain grade Ⅱ-Ⅲ 24 hours after the surgery [OR=64.024, 95%CI (3.606, 1 136.677), P=0.005] , age [OR=1.195, 95%CI (1.065, 1.342), P=0.002], intraoperative blood loss [OR=1.087, 95%CI (1.018, 1.162), P=0.013] were the risk factors for PPC after micro single-port VATS.ConclusionThere is a close relationship between PPC after micro single-port VATS and perioperative indexes in patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. Clinically, targeted prevention and treatment can be implemented according to the age, pulmonary disease, preoperative albumin level, intraoperative blood loss, degree of pleural adhesion and pain grading 24 hours after surgery.
ObjectiveTo compare the effect on postoperative immune function between da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) , and to provide clinical support for more effective surgical procedures.MethodsA total of 90 patients undergoing radical resection of pulmonary carcinoma in our hospital from June to November 2019 were included. There were 49 males and 41 females with an average age of 62.67 (37-84) years. Among them, 50 patients underwent da Vinci robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (a RATS group) and 40 patients underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (a VATS group). The perioperative indexes as well as postoperative inflammatory factors and immune level effects between the two groups were compared.ResultsCompared with the VATS, RATS could significantly shorten the operation time and decrease intraoperative blood loss (P<0.05). RATS also effectively reduced the increase of postoperative inflammatory factor level (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in postoperative immune function between the RATS group and the VATS group (P>0.05).ConclusionRATS is superior to VATS in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer in perioperative indicators and inflammatory factors.
Surgical treatment is an important treatment for spontaneous pneumothorax, which can remove the gas in the pleural cavity, relieve symptoms, promote lung recruitment, moreover, prevent future recurrence. The surgical modalities included video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and non VATS treatment. Nowadays, the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax has entered a minimally invasive era. With the development of minimally invasive techniques in recent years, as the representative of minimally invasive surgery, the surgeon techniques of VATS has developed to diversity, including three-port VATS, two-port VATS, uniportal VATS, subxiphoid uniportal VATS, 3D VATS, robotic-assisted VAT and cervical uniportal VATS. Each technique has its own advantages and limitations, and individual choices should be made.
Objective Through a retrospective study on esophageal function changes and symptom relief after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery treatment for achalasia of cardia (AC) to assess the clinical value of this operation. Methods We reviewed the data of 34 AC patients who received modified Heller operation by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University from March 2012 to September 2014. There were 11 males and 23 females with a median age of 35 (11–67) years. These patients were divided into four groups according to the time of treatment and follow-up: preoperative group, postoperative one-month group, postoperative three-month group and postoperative six-month group. Changes of symptoms, radiography and esophageal dynamics before and after therapy were collected. These different groups were analyzed based on statistical methods. Results There was no statistical difference in ages and genders among groups (P>0.05). The surgery was successful and no complication or death occurred. Symptoms of patients showed different degrees of relief and the postoperative grade of clinical symptoms decreased (P<0.05). After surgery, lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP), lower esophageal sphincter resting pressure (LESRP) and esophageal body pressure (EBP) decreased significantly, while lower esophageal sphincter relax rate (LESRR) increased (P<0.05). While there was no significant difference in length of lower esophageal sphincter (LESL,P>0.05). Angiography of upper digestive tract revealed that compared to the preoperative group, the maximum width in postoperative three-month group decreased significantly (P<0.05). During the follow-up, 3 patients suffered gastroesophageal reflux, 2 patients esophageal perforation and 1 patient empyema due to esophago-pleural fistula. No massive hemorrhage of upper digestive tract and hiatal hernia occured. Conclusion Sugery can significantly ameliorate the clinical symptoms of the patients with AC, and improve esophageal dynamics. And it is simple and easy to perform with less complications and better long-term outcomes. Improved Heller operation by video-assisted thoracoscopy is a less invasive procedure when compared with the traditional thoracotomy. Moreover, esophageal manometry can objectively assist in the diagnosis and degree of the disease and effect of therapy.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and clinical effect of controlled hypotension in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for subcarinal lymph node dissection in patients with lung cancer.MethodsWe analyzed the clinical data of 53 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing VATS with controlled systolic blood pressure while dissecting the subcarinal lymph node from September to October 2016 in our department (a treatment group, including 31 males and 22 females with an average age of 53.20±8.80 years ranging 43-68 years). We selected 112 NSCLC patients undergoing VATS without controlled systolic blood pressure while dissecting the subcarinal lymph node from January to August 2016 in our department (a contol group, including 67 males and 45 females with an average age of 54.32±7.81 years ranging 39-73 years). The clinical data of both groups were compared.ResultsThe operation time and blood loss of the treatment group were less than those of the control group (177.6±39.4 min vs. 194.3±47.8 min, 317.9±33.6 ml vs. 331.2±38.7 ml, P<0.05). The duration of subcarinal lymph node dissection and total duration of lymph node dissection of the treatment group were also less than those of the control group (10.5±4.3 min vs. 13.6±5.2 min, 37.7±7.5 min vs. 48.7±6.4 min, P<0.001). The thoracic drainage at postoperative days 1, 2, 3 and total drainage volume, duration of tube placement and hospital stay of the treatment group were less than those of the control group (P<0.05). Whereas the postoperative complications of the two groups did not differ significantly (P>0.05).ConclusionControlled hypotension reduces the difficulty of dissecting subcarinal lymph nodes and the risk of bleeding, and produces less drainage volume, which is safe and effective.