Potential complications of vascular stapling in thoracoscopic pulmonary resection

In a series of 57 patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy, 2 required expeditious conversion to open thoracotomy when a stapling device (Endo-GIA 30 V3; Autosuture, Ascot, UK) used on the main right lower pulmonary artery in 1 case and on the left superior pulmonary vein in the other cut but failed to staple the vessel involved. In both instances the vessel was successfully controlled while a thoracotomy was performed and the involved vessel was oversewn. Both patients made an uncomplicated postoperative recovery. As the number of thoracoscopic pulmonary resections increases, it is likely that similar episodes will occur in the future. These cases strongly emphasize the fact that patients undergoing this procedure should do so in a center specializing in thoracic surgery where there is the necessary surgical expertise and equipment to deal with such potentially life-threatening vascular complications.