Surgical Treatment of Bronchiectasis: 5 Years of Experience at a Single Institution

The aim of this retrospective study was to present our surgical experience in patients with bronchiectasis who underwent thoracoscopy and to compare the results with those of patients who underwent thoracotomy. We analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent lung resection to treat bronchiectasis through video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) or open lung resection between November 2012 and November 2017. In total, 99 patients were enrolled. Forty-nine patients with bronchiectasis underwent VATS lung resection and 50 patients underwent thoracotomy. The patients in the VATS group were older (P = .025), but no difference was observed in blood loss (P = .62) or morbidity (P = .67) between the two groups. The patients in the VATS group had a shorter duration of chest tube placement (P = .01) and length of hospital stay (P = .04) but a longer operative time (P = .01). No significant difference was found in symptom improvement between the two groups (P = .694). Surgical resection for bronchiectasis can be performed with acceptable morbidity and can lead to significant relief of symptoms. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung resection for localized bronchiectasis is a safe and efficient procedure that results in good recovery.