Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 4, 2026
Thoracoscopic Extended Right Middle Plus Lower Sleeve Lobectomy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Published on: February 27, 2026
Sleeve lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery versus thoracotomy for non-small cell lung cancer
Shijie Zhou1, Guotian Pei1, Yi Han1
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Machang 97, Tongzhou District, Beijing, 101149, China.
Background:
Both video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and thoracotomy are used for sleeve lobectomy for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This retrospective study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of VATS sleeve lobectomy for NSCLC patients.
Methods:
Between May 2009 and May 2013, 51 sleeve lobectomies (10 by VATS and 41 by thoracotomy) were performed for patients with NSCLC. Operative characteristics and postoperative course were compared between two groups.
Results:
Patient demographics were similar between the two groups. Thoracotomy patients had larger tumors compared with VATS patients (p = 0.02). VATS patients had a longer operating time (p < 0.001) but a shorter length of postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.009). The two groups did not differ in pathologic stage, histologic results, blood loss, ICU stay, amount of chest drainage, duration of chest drainage, numbers and distributions of dissected lymph nodes and the occurrence of complications. There were no perioperative deaths in the VATS group, whereas there was one death (2.4 %) in the thoracotomy group. There were no conversions to thoracotomy in the VATS group. The overall median survival between the two groups was similar (3.2 years VATS versus 3.2 years thoracotomy, log-rank p = 0.58).
Conclusions:
VATS sleeve lobectomy for the treatment of NSCLC is technically feasible and safe and is associated with comparable complication rates and survival compared with thoracotomy approach, but it deserves further investigation in large series.
