Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026
Thoracoscopic Extended Right Middle Plus Lower Sleeve Lobectomy for Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Published on: February 27, 2026
A comparative analysis of lung cancer patients treated with lobectomy via three-dimensional video-assisted
Chengliang Yang1, Lili Mo1, Yegang Ma1
11 Department of Thoracic Surgery, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang 110042, China ; 2 Dalian Medical University Clinical Oncology College, Shenyang 110042, China ; 3 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, 4 State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, China ; 5 Key cite of National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou 510120, China.
Background:
Three-dimensional (3D) vision systems are now available for thoracic surgery. It is unclear whether 3D video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is superior to 2D VATS systems. This study aimed to compare the operative and perioperative data between 2D and 3D VATS lobectomy (VTL) and to identify the actual role of 3D VTL in thoracic surgery.
Methods:
A two-institutional comparative study was conducted from November 2013 to November 2014 at Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute and the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China, of 300 patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients were assigned to receive either the 3D VATS (n=150) or 2D VATS (n=150) lobectomy. The operative and perioperative data between 2D VATS and 3D VATS were compared.
Results:
Although there was no significant difference between the two groups regarding the incidence of each single complication, a significantly less operative time was found in the 3D VATS group (145 min) than in the 2D VATS group (176 min) (P=0.006). Postoperative mortality rates in 3D VATS and 2D VATS groups were both 0%.No significant difference was found between groups for estimated blood loss (P=0.893), chest drainage tube placement time (P=0.397), length of hospital stay (P=0.199), number of lymph nodes resected (P=0.397), postoperative complications (P=0.882) and cost of care (P=0.913).
Conclusions:
Early results of this study demonstrate that the 3D VATS lobectomy procedure can be performed with less operative time. 3D VATS and 2D VATS lobectomy are both safe procedures in first-line surgical treatment of NSCLC.
