Video-assisted lobectomy in elderly lung cancer patients

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the pre-, intra- and postoperative outcome of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy in elderly lung cancer patients to determine what factors may be disadvantageous. METHODS: From June 1982 to May 2000, 707 patients underwent pulmonary resection for primary lung cancer. Of these, 87 patients with t1-2 peripheral lung cancer underwent lobectomy and postoperative pulmonary function tests and postoperative conditions at an average of 2.3 months postoperatively. Of these, 52 underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy since 1994 and 35 lobectomy by standard thoracotomy. RESULTS: Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy offered advantages in blood loss, chest wall damage, and minimal performance deterioration status. The percent vital capacity, percent forced expiratory in 1 second, and percent maximum ventilatory volume were well preserved in patients who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified operation duration as an independent risk factor in morbidity and operative procedure as an independent risk factor in performance deterioration. In stage IA and IB patients, 3-year-survival was 92.9% and 5-year survival 53.8% in those undergoing lobectomy by standard thoracotomy and 84.2% at 3 years and 60.1% at 5-years in those undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy. CONCLUSION: We thus consider video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy in this age group to be an effective procedure, but the long surgical duration is a risk factor in a poor clinical outcome.     

Variation in the approach to VATS lobectomy: effect on the evaluation of surgical morbidity following VATS lobectomy for the treatment of stage I non-small cell lung cancer

Recent advances in imaging, chemical pathology, and target therapy have made it necessary to redefine the role of surgery in the therapeutic algorithm in the management of lung cancer. Although video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy with hilar and mediastinal lymph node dissection was proposed over a decade ago to treat early lung cancer, this technique is currently not widely practiced, despite many documented advantages. This article examines the role of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy in the treatment of early lung cancer and, in particular, variations in the approach and published results.     

胸腔镜袖式肺叶切除研究进展

20世纪90年代初,电视辅助胸腔镜手术(VATS)开始被用于非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)的外科治疗,经过20多年的发展,VATS技术日趋成熟,其在早期肺癌治疗中的安全性和有效性得到公认,并被作为一种标准手术方式写进指南。然而,目前对于复杂VATS,如VATS袖式切除仍存在争议,相关研究和报道还相对较少,且多为个案报道或小样本回顾性研究。该文拟对这一领域的相关研究和技术进展作一综述。     

Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for lung cancer: the point at issue

Among the four subjects addressed in this article, the definition of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is fundamentally the point at issue, which leads to various obstacles for upcoming clinical trials. It is strongly expected that VATS lobectomy will be identified as a standard operation for primary lung cancer with confirmed clinical evidence. Standard surgical procedure with a certain oncological validity for lung cancer should be minimally invasive, safe, and technically simple for general thoracic surgeons. In conclusion, most patients with resectable lung cancer will be able to benefit from a validated painless VATS lobectomy in the near future.     

Limited operation of lung cancer: the role of video-assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer

Lobectomy with systemic nodal dissection is recognized as a standard operation for lung cancer. Partial resection and segmental resection are classified as limited resections for lung cancer to preserve pulmonary function. Minor complications occur more frequently with limited resection than with lobectomy. Partial resection of the lung and simple lobectomy can be performed as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Systemic hilar and mediastinal lymph node dissection is not yet standardized using VATS. On the other hand, VATS preserves chest wall muscles. The difference between standard thoracotomy and VATS is a difference of approach to the thoracic cavity. It is most important for lung cancer surgery to be performed in the thoracic cavity with the minimum burden on patients.     

Initial experience of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy with partial removal of the pulmonary artery

A lobectomy with a resection of the pulmonary artery is less invasive than a pneumonectomy. However, it seems to be extremely difficult to perform this technique using video-assisted thoracic surgery with technical limitations because this technique is associated with an increased operative risk even in an open thoracotomy. Between April 2002 and December 2006, a curative video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy including a mediastinal lymphadenectomy was performed in 121 patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer. Five of those patients underwent a thoracoscopic lobectomy with the partial removal and reconstruction of the pulmonary artery. The causes of the pulmonary artery resection included two direct invasions of the artery, two invasions of the arterial branch, and one calcified lymphadenopathy involving the branch. No patients required a blood transfusion. No complications attributable to the technique or mortality were seen. No patients showed an abnormal blood flow through the reconstructed vessel. There were no local recurrences on the pulmonary artery. A video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy including a partial resection and reconstruction of the pulmonary artery is a complex procedure for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. It is feasible when all associated technical issues are properly addressed.     

Anomalous pulmonary vein detected using three-dimensional computed tomography in a patient with lung cancer undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy

Few clinicians are familiar with the anatomy of anomalous pulmonary veins, and studies reporting patients who required right lower lobectomy for lung cancer and who had anomalies of the middle and lower pulmonary veins are even rarer. This report describes the case of a lung cancer patient who had an anomalous lateral part of the middle lobe vein (V4) draining into the right inferior pulmonary vein, which was confirmed by three-dimensional 64-row multidetector computed axial tomography (3D-MDCT) angiography. She was then successfully treated with video-assisted thoracic surgery. The preoperative 3D imaging of the pulmonary vein and artery allowed us to comprehend fully the patient's vascular anatomy before the operation. Thus, we recommend preoperative 3D-MDCT angiography for patients with lung cancer undergoing thoracic surgery, especially video-assisted thoracic surgery.     

Better pulmonary function and prognosis with video-assisted thoracic surgery than with thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: Data regarding pulmonary function and prognosis after video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy are limited. METHODS: From September 1992 to April 2000, 204 video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomies were performed, and their preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function test results and prognoses were evaluated. RESULTS: The postoperative to preoperative ratio of pulmonary function tests (vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1 s) were better in video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy than in open thoracotomy (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, the 5-year survival rate of pathologic stage I lung cancers after video-assisted thoracic surgery was 97.0%, whereas that after open thoracotomy was 78.5% (p = 0.0173; Mantel-Cox). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary function and prognosis were far better after video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy than after open thoracotomy.     

Pulmonary lobectomy for cancer: Systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing open,video-assisted thoracic surgery,and robotic approach

BackgroundAlthough minimally invasive lobectomy has gained worldwide interest, there has been debate on perioperative and oncological outcomes. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes among open lobectomy, video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy, and robotic lobectomy.MethodsPubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were consulted. A fully Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed.ResultsThirty-four studies (183,426 patients) were included; 88,865 (48.4%) underwent open lobectomy, 79,171 (43.2%) video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy, and 15,390 (8.4%) robotic lobectomy. Compared with open lobectomy, video-assisted thoracic surgery, lobectomy and robotic lobectomy had significantly reduced 30-day mortality (risk ratio = 0.53; 95% credible intervals, 0.40–0.66 and risk ratio = 0.51; 95% credible intervals, 0.36–0.71), pulmonary complications (risk ratio = 0.70; 95% credible intervals, 0.51–0.92 and risk ratio = 0.69; 95% credible intervals, 0.51–0.88), and overall complications (risk ratio = 0.77; 95% credible intervals, 0.68–0.85 and risk ratio = 0.79; 95% credible intervals, 0.67–0.91). Compared with video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy, open lobectomy, and robotic lobectomy had a significantly higher total number of harvested lymph nodes (mean difference = 1.46; 95% credible intervals, 0.30, 2.64 and mean difference = 2.18; 95% credible intervals, 0.52–3.92) and lymph nodes stations (mean difference = 0.37; 95% credible intervals, 0.08–0.65 and mean difference = 0.93; 95% credible intervals, 0.47–1.40). Positive resection margin and 5-year overall survival were similar across treatments. Intraoperative blood loss, postoperative transfusion, hospital length of stay, and 30-day readmission were significantly reduced for minimally invasive approaches.ConclusionCompared with open lobectomy, video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy, and robotic lobectomy seem safer with reduced 30-day mortality, pulmonary, and overall complications with equivalent oncologic outcomes and 5-year overall survival. Minimally invasive techniques may improve outcomes and surgeons should be encouraged, when feasible, to adopt video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy, or robotic lobectomy in the treatment of lung cancer.     

Minimally invasive pulmonary surgery for lung cancer, up to date

Recently, the minimally invasive surgical approach is an important issue in the pulmonary surgery. In this review, we present the current fashion of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and new approach including robotic lobectomy. There is no clear definition or standard for this surgical procedure regarding VATS lobectomy. Therefore, no randomized controlled trial of VATS and conventional lobectomy can be set up. Although the definition of VATS lobectomy is not straightforward, VATS lobectomy showed the technical feasibility of conventional lobectomy in mortality and postoperative complication as well as lymph node dissection. VATS procedure for advanced lung cancer is unclear whether such observations can be developed into a standardized approach. There are no reports to evaluate the advantages of robotic lobectomy in terms of treatment outcomes for lung cancer compared with VATS lobectomy. However, we believe that robotic lobectomy has clear potential to improve the quality of minimally invasive surgery.     

Changes in right ventricular performance in elderly patients who underwent lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Even though lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary lung cancer has been reported to be beneficial in terms of the perioperative outcome, changes in the right ventricular performance have not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to determine whether lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery is also advantageous with respect to the right ventricular performance in elderly patients who are 70 years old or older. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients (mean age: 76 years) who underwent lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery (Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group), and 10 patients (mean age: 76 years) who underwent lobectomy using a standard thoracotomy as a historical control group (Standard Thoracotomy Group) were studied. The hemodynamics and right ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated preoperatively, and at 6, 12, 24, and at 48 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: Postoperative values were expressed as a percentage of the preoperative values. The systemic vascular resistance index decreased to a greater extent in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group than in the Standard Thoracotomy Group. The pulmonary arteriolar resistance index at 24 hours postoperation tended to be higher in the Standard Thoracotomy Group than in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group. The stroke index, cardiac index, and right ventricular ejection fraction at 24 hours postoperation were each significantly higher in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group than in the Standard Thoracotomy Group. CONCLUSION: Lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for elderly patients offers not only beneficial effects in the right ventricular afterload but also acceleration in the expected compensatory hyperdynamics during the acute postoperative phase.     

机器人辅助胸腔镜左肺下叶切除两例

目的探索应用DaVinci S机器人辅助胸腔镜进行左肺下叶切除治疗非小细胞肺癌,观察其安全性,手术效果,以及相较于电视辅助胸腔镜手术（VATS）的优势。方法应用DaVinci S机器人辅助胸腔镜治疗非小细胞肺癌,进行左肺下叶切除2例,加系统性淋巴结清扫。结果 2例患者均获手术成功,无中转开胸,无手术并发症发生,无死亡,平均手术时间252.5min,术中出血量150ml,术后住院时间5d。围手术期未输血,术后恢复快、疼痛轻。结论机器人辅助胸腔镜左肺下叶切除初步证明是安全有效的,相较于VATS,有更逼真的视野,更灵活稳定的操作,从而具备更宽泛的手术适应证,是新一代微创胸部手术的重要选择。     

Report of an interactive three-dimensional anatomical model to be used as an intraoperative aid in lung anatomical resections for non-small lung cancer

The possibility of using three-dimensional reconstructions as an intraoperative aid to thoracic surgeons has not yet been fully explored. With this in mind, we developed a technology based on a three-dimensional virtual model of lungs obtained from lung computed tomography scans, the Hyper-Accuracy Three-Dimensional reconstruction (HA3D™), which aids the surgeon during surgery. We tested this technology while performing a uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery right upper lobectomy for lung cancer.     

肺隔离症4例诊治体会及文献复习

目的 探讨肺隔离症的诊断和治疗策略。方法 2017年7月至2019年6月收治的4例肺隔离症患者,3例患者行胸腔镜手术治疗,1例行介入下血管塞封堵迷走供血动脉,对其诊治过程和临床资料进行回顾性分析,总结诊治过程中的体会。结果 4例肺隔离症患者均接受治疗,1例患者接受介入下血管塞封堵迷走供血动脉后恢复顺利;1例患者胸腔镜下肺叶切除术后恢复顺利;2例患者接受胸腔镜下隔离肺叶切除术,其中1例恢复顺利,1例因胸腔进行性出血行胸腔镜下开胸止血术,后恢复顺利。术后3月复查胸部螺旋计算机体层摄影血管造影显示,3例行胸腔镜下隔离肺叶或肺叶切除手术患者的异常肺叶及供血动脉消失,行介入下血管塞封堵异常血管的1例患者的迷走供血动脉被栓塞,栓塞血管远端已无血流供应,隔离肺组织充血表现较前明显好转,4例患者随访7~31个月,未见复发。在手术时间、术中出血量、术后疼痛、术后胸腔闭式引流量、术后并发症、住院时间及住院费用等方面,介入栓塞治疗均优于胸腔镜手术治疗。结论 胸腔镜手术是目前处理肺隔离症的主要方式,介入栓塞治疗肺隔离症同样是一种安全、有效、微创的治疗方法,尤其对以咯血为主要症状,凝血功能异常且病情较重者效果佳。     

Minimally invasive thoracic surgery versus standard surgery

Advances in technology, with the availability of optics and minitelevision cameras and improved endoscopic instrumentation (especially endo-stapler devices), have allowed the surgeon to obtain a superior panoramic view of the thoracic cavity and an optimal surgical manuvrability. This has determined the development, besides the traditional thoracotomic approach, of minimally invasive techniques of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). An auxiliary mini-thoracotomic approach and the magnification of the operating theatre, which allows the surgeon to accomplish difficult manoeuvres under diret view, have progressively extended the indications of this procedure: at first used for the treatment of pneumothorax and pleural effusions, it is now employed in biopsy or atypical resection of pulmonary nodules, lung cancer staging and diagnostic-therapeutical procedures of mediastinal diseases, major pulmonary resections (lobectomy and pneumonectomy) and lung volume reduction surgery for emphysema (LVRS). The Authors review minimally invasive techniques of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), compared to the traditional surgical ones, for the treatment of various thoracic diseases.     

单向式全胸腔镜肺叶切除术治疗早期非小细胞肺癌的临床疗效分析

目的探讨单向式全胸腔镜肺叶切除术治疗非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）患者的临床效果。方法回顾性分析2006年6月至2009年12月成都市第二人民医院采用电视胸腔镜手术（VATS）行肺叶切除加纵隔淋巴结清扫治疗89例早期NSCLC患者的临床资料,根据手术方式不同分为两组,VATS辅助组：46例,男36例,女10例;年龄58.76±14.78岁,采用VATS辅助小切口手术;单向式VATS组：43例,男37例,女6例;年龄61.34±12.56岁,行单向式全VATS。选择同期行常规经胸后外侧切口开胸手术患者作为对照（开胸组,42例,男37例,女5例;年龄56.30±15.59岁）。比较3组患者的手术时间？术中出血量？纵隔淋巴结清扫的数量？术后胸腔引流量、并发症发生、胸痛视觉模拟评分（VAS）和生存率的改变。结果 3组均无手术死亡,3组间胸腔引流时间（P=0.024）、胸腔引流量（P=0.019）、术中出血量（P=0.009）、早期下床活动时间（P=0.031）和心肺并发症发生率（P=0.048）差异有统计学意义。单向式VATS组胸腔引流量（208.33±50.39 ml vs.245.98±45.32 ml）、术中出血量（78.79±24.23 mlvs.112.63±64.32 ml）和早期下床活动时间（2.31±0.27 d vs.3.56±0.31 d）较VATS辅助组明显减少（P〈0.05）。开胸组使用杜冷丁患者的比率较VATS辅助组和单向式VATS组明显增加（P=0.046,0.007）,3组患者手术后VAS评分变化差异有统计学意义（F=5.796,P=0.002）。术后随访109例（包括VATS辅助组37例、单向式VATS组37例、开胸组35例）,随访时间2~48个月,失访22例。随访期间VATS辅助组、单向式VATS组和开胸组分别死亡10例、9例和8例;中位生存时间分别为40个月、37个月和37个月;3组患者生存时间差异无统计学意义（P=0.848）。结论 VATS特别是单向式全VATS肺叶切除加系统纵隔淋巴结清扫术在早期NSCLC患者的手术治疗中与传统开胸手术的效果几乎相同,且创伤更小、恢复快,是治疗早期肺癌的可靠方法。     

Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy reduces the morbidity after surgery for stage I non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: We conducted this study to evaluate the surgical invasiveness and the safety of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for stage I lung cancer. Methods: Video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomies were performed on 43 patients with clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer. We compared the surgical invasiveness parameters with 42 patients who underwent lobectomy by conventional thoracotomy. Results: Intraoperative blood loss was significantly less than that in the conventional thoracotomy group (151±149 vs. 362±321 g, p<0.01). Chest tube duration (3.0±2.1 vs. 3.9±1.9 days) was significantly shorter than those in the conventional thoracotomy group (p<0.05). The visual analog scale which was evaluated as postoperative pain level on postoperative day 7, maximum white blood count and C-reactive protein level were significantly lower than those in the conventional thoracotomy group (p<0.05). The morbidity rate was significantly lower than that in the conventional thoracotomy group (25.6% vs. 47.6%, p<0.05). Sputum retention and arrhythmia were significantly less frequent than in the conventional thoracotomy group (p<0.05). We experienced no operative deaths in both groups. Conclusion: We conclude that video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for stage I non-small cell lung cancer patients is a less invasive and safer procedure with a lower morbidity rate compared with lobectomy by thoracotomy.     

Changes in right ventricular performance in elderly patients who underwent lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary lung cancer

Objective: Even though lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for primary lung cancer has been reported to be beneficial in terms of the perioperative outcome, changes in the right ventricular performance have not yet been reported. The aim of this study was to determine whether lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery is also advantageous with respect to the right ventricular performance in elderly patients who are 70 years old or older.Subjects and Methods: Thirteen patients (mean age: 76 years) who underwent lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery (Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group), and 10 patients (mean age: 76 years) who underwent lobectomy using a standard thoracotomy as a historical control group (Standard Thoracotomy Group) were studied. The hemodynamics and right ventricular ejection fraction were evaluated preoperatively, and at 6, 12, 24, and at 48 hours postoperatively.Results: Postoperative values were expressed as a percentage of the preoperative values. The systemic vascular resistance index decreased to a greater extent in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group than in the Standard Thoracotomy Group. The pulmonary arteriolar resistance index at 24 hours postoperation tended to be higher in the Standard Thoracotomy Group than in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group. The stroke index, cardiac index, and right ventricular ejection fraction at 24 hours postoperation were each significantly higher in the Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery Group than in the Standard Thoracotomy Group.Conclusion: Lobectomy using video-assisted thoracic surgery for elderly patients offers not only beneficial effects in the right ventricular afterload but also acceleration in the expected compensatory hyperdynamics during the acute postoperative phase.     

Comparison of costs for video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy and open lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer

Background  

To promote the broad use of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for lobectomy (VATSL) in the management of lung cancer, it should be proved cost-effective, especially in the current cost-sensitive climate. This study evaluated and compared the costs of VATSL and open lobectomy (OL) and analyzed how the surgeon’s experience level with VATSL affected the cost.