[A Preliminary Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of A Optimized Computed Tomography-guided Pulmonary Nodule...

Preoperative computed tomography (CT) guided microcoil localization is a common method for small lung nodules before video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). However, this method still has some limitation such as complicated operation and slight complications. We have optimized the original method. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical value of this optimized method.

35 pulmonary nodules from 31 patients between September 2018 and January 2019 were localized by the optimized method before VATS. The success rate, complications, pathological results and localization operations related data were statistically analyzed.

The success rate of localization was 97.1%, and the success rate of VATS removal was 100%. The average operation time was 10.1 min (5 min-31 min), and the average time required for resection of lesions was 38.2 min (10 min-100 min). During the surgery, the microcoil of one patient was found to be dislocated and retracted into the chest wall. A puncture needle was inserted intolung tissue from the chest wall puncture point after the lung was inflated, and then the pulmonary nodule were successfully located and removed. A minor pneumothorax occurred in 3 patients, but no closed drainage was needed. Three patients developed intrapulmonary hematoma. The pathological results of 35 pulmonary nodules included 15 well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, 7 carcinoma in situ, 5 microinvasive adenocarcinoma, 4 atypical adenomatoid hyperplasia, 2 intrapulmonary lymph node hyperplasia, 2 inflammatory nodules.

For small pulmonary nodules requiring thoracoscopic surgery, the optimized computed tomography-guided pulmonary nodule microcoil localization technique is convenient, safe and effective, and worthy of promotion to use.