[85 consecutive VATS non-rib spread simultaneously stapled lobectomies for malignancy]

A new technique for pulmonary lobectomy has been utilized for malignant lesions. Eighty-five consecutive patients with pulmonary neoplasms underwent a VATS non-rib spread Simultaneously Stapled Lobectomy. There were 34 males and 51 females with 61 adeno, 21 squamous, 2 large cell and 1 carcinoid tumor who underwent 18 left upper, 13 left lower, 20 right upper, 7 right middle and 27 right lower lobectomies. Forty-one mediastinoscopies were negative. Patients with positive mediastinoscopies were not selected for curative resection. At VATS exploration, 10 patients had positive nodes. All resected nodes were negative in the other patients. Every bronchoscopy was negative. Operating times averaged 84.5 minutes. No patient received a transfusion. Lesions ranged from 1 cm to 8 cms with an average size of 3.62 cms. Post-operative length of stay averaged 3.38 days. There was no surgical mortality, no hemorrhage, no transfusion and no conversion to an open case in the entire series. No bronchial, vascular or broncho vascular fistula occurred. Complications were minor from which all patients recovered completely. Survival seems similar to patients resected by traditional open techniques.