One-stage video-assisted thoracic surgery for bilateral multiple pulmonary nodules

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Lack of specific diagnostic and treatment guidelines for bilateral multiple pulmonary nodules (BMPNs).
• One-stage video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is not a conventional treatment for BMPNs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and feasibility of one-stage VATS for patients with BMPNs.
• To assess the outcomes of diagnostic and therapeutic one-stage VATS in patients with suspected multiple primary lung cancer (MPLC).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 18 patients with BMPNs who underwent one-stage VATS.
• Data collected from January 2016 to June 2018 at Tongji Hospital.

Main Results:

• All 18 operations were completed successfully.
• Postoperative complications occurred in 16.67% of patients (subcutaneous emphysema, persistent air leak, pleural effusion).
• No postoperative mortality was observed.

Conclusions:

• One-stage VATS is a safe and feasible surgical option for BMPNs following rigorous preoperative assessment.
• This approach can prevent contralateral tumor progression and reduce the burden of multiple surgical interventions.