Video-assisted lobectomy for a lung cancer patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This retrospective study was conducted to see whether a video-assisted lobectomy is beneficial in lung cancer patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease regarding preservation of pulmonary function compared to lobectomy by standard thoracotomy.

Between 1982 and 2002, 67 patients who underwent lobectomy for primary lung cancer showed 55% or less of preoperative forced expiratory volume in one second/vital capacity. Among them, 25 patients were enrolled in this retrospective study. The remaining 42 patients were excluded because of no presence of a postoperative pulmonary function test. Nine of 25 patients underwent a video-assisted lobectomy between 1994 and 2002 and the remaining 16 patients who underwent a lobectomy by standard thoracotomy between 1982 and 1994 were employed as a historical control. Perioperative conditions and changes in pulmonary function were compared between two groups.

A parameter of chest wall damage was minor in video-assisted lobectomy compared to that in lobectomy by standard thoracotomy. Changes between pre- and postoperative percent of vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second and maximal ventilatory volume showed significantly minor deterioration or even improvement in video-assisted lobectomy patients. Predicted postoperative pulmonary function tended to be underestimated for postoperative values in video-assisted lobectomy patients.

Video-assisted lobectomy seemed to be profitable in preservation of pulmonary function in lung cancer patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Prediction of postoperative pulmonary function should be revised due to the underestimation for postoperative values in video-assisted lobectomy, which could offer profitable surgical treatment for lung cancer patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.