One hundred video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomies without rib spreading

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is an evolving technique for pulmonary resections.
• Simultaneous stapling during VATS lobectomy aims to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• The benefit of performing VATS lobectomy without rib spreading requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the validity and benefits of video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled pulmonary lobectomy without rib spreading.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of this minimally invasive surgical technique.

Main Methods:

• A consecutive series of 100 patients underwent VATS simultaneously stapled lobectomy without rib spreading between September 1992 and August 1995.
• Procedures included various lobectomies for malignant and benign lung conditions.
• Lymph node status was assessed via bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy.

Main Results:

• The study included 100 patients (45 male, 55 female) undergoing diverse lobectomies for various pathologies, including 66 adenocarcinomas.
• Average operating time was 90.3 minutes, with an average hospital stay of 3.5 days (2.6 days for the last 20 patients).
• There were no surgical mortalities, hemorrhages, or urgent conversions; complications included air leaks and pneumonitis.

Conclusions:

• Video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomy without rib spreading is a safe procedure.
• This technique can be effectively combined with lymph node sampling.
• Early therapeutic outcomes for resected neoplasms appear comparable to traditional open surgical methods.