Thoracoscopic Anatomical Resection Research Articles

A Clinical Comparative Study of Thoracoscopic Anatomical Lesion Resection and Lobectomy in the Treatment of Congenital Lung Malformations

BackgroundTo explore the safety and feasibility of HuaXi thoracoscopic anatomical lesion resection (HX-TALR) in the treatment of congenital lung malformations (CLMs) in children. MethodsA retrospective review of clinical data was conducted for patients who underwent HX-TALR and thoracoscopic lobectomy (TL) in our hospital from October 2017 to March 2023. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared between the HX-TALR and TL groups. ResultsThere were 485 patients in this study, 267 of whom underwent HX-TALR and 218 of whom underwent TL. All patients underwent thoracoscopic surgery without conversion to open surgery. No patients had major complications, including bronchopleural fistula, hemorrhage, atelectasis, recurrence or reoperation. The operative time, intraoperative bleeding volume, cases with thoracic drainage tubes, postoperative hospital stay, and cases with postoperative fever in HX-TALR were greater than those in TL (P < 0.05). ConclusionsHX-TALR is safe, feasible, and retains all normal lung tissue while removing the lesion, which is expected to become the preferable operation for the treatment of CLMs. HX-TALR is a new and technically challenging procedure that needs to be carried out after training. Level of EvidenceLevel IV.

Zero-leak prediction during major lung resection aiming for minimal chest drainage duration: a retrospective analysis

BackgroundEarly chest tube removal should be considered to enhance recovery after surgery. The current study aimed to provide a predictive algorithm for air leak episodes (ALE) and to create a knowledge base for early chest tube removal.MethodsThis retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical pulmonary resections in our unit. We defined ALE as any airflow ≥ 10 mL/min recorded in the follow-up charts based on the digital thoracic drainage device. Multivariate regression analysis was used to control for preoperative and intraoperative confounding factors. The ALE prediction algorithm was constructed by combining an additive ALE risk-scoring system using the coefficients of the significant predictive factors with the intraoperative water-sealing test.ResultsIn 485 consecutive thoracoscopic major pulmonary resections, ALE developed in 209 (43%) patients. Statistically significant ALE-associated preoperative factors included male sex, lower body mass index, radiologically evident emphysema, lobectomy, and upper lobe surgery. Significant ALE-associated intraoperative factors were incomplete fissure and pleural adhesion. The ALE risk scoring demonstrated an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.72 in the fivefold cross-validation test. The ALE prediction algorithm correctly predicted ALE-absent patients at a negative predictive value of 80%.ConclusionsThe algorithm may promote the optimization of the chest tube-dwelling duration by identifying potential ALE-absent patients for accelerated tube removal.

Postoperative day 1 discharge following robotic thoracoscopic pulmonary anatomic resections in the era of enhanced recovery protocol: A single-institution experience

ObjectiveImplementation and continuing optimization of enhanced recovery protocol after thoracic surgery results in significant improvement of postoperative outcomes. We observed a 10-fold increase in the rate of postoperative day (POD) 1 discharges following robotic thoracoscopic anatomic resections over time. We aimed to determine factors associated with safe POD1 discharges. MethodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of robotic anatomic pulmonary resections between July 1, 2012, and June 30, 2022, with patients of the last 2.5 years forming the basis of this study. Data collected included demographics, insurance types, Area Deprivation Index (indicator of poverty), and operative and postoperative variables including length of stay, opioid use, daily pain levels, readmissions, and outpatient interventions. Factors associated with POD1 were analyzed using a logistic regression module. ResultIn total, 279 patients met inclusion criteria (91 POD1 discharges, 32.6%; none discharged with a pleural catheter). There was neither an increase of postdischarge interventions for pleural complications nor readmission in early discharge patients. After adjusting for relevant factors, younger age, right middle lobectomy, lower opioid use on POD1, operating room finish before 4 PM, and low Area Deprivation Index were significantly associated with POD1 discharge. A subanalysis of 49 patients, who could have been discharged on POD1, identified hypoxemia requiring home oxygen, atrial fibrillation, and poorly controlled pain being common mitigatable clinical factors delaying POD1 discharge. ConclusionsSafe POD1 discharge following robotic thoracoscopic anatomic resection was achieved in 32% of cases. Identification of positive and negative factors affecting early discharge provides guidance for further modifications to increase the number of POD1 discharges.

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic anatomical resection of the right anterior pulmonary segment in a 10-year-old child with congenital pulmonary airway malformation

Congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) is a very rare phenomenon subject to malignant transformation that requires surgical resection. In an asymptomatic 10-year-old girl, we identified a single cystic and consolidated lesion on computed tomography. This incidental finding was confined to anterior segment of lung in right upper lobe (RUL). Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) served to successfully achieve anterior segmentectomy, without chest tube placement. The surgical specimen confirmed features of CPAM, also showing acute and chronic inflammation with abscess formation. Once the surgical mainstay for such lesions, open lobectomy is now under challenge by thoracoscopic technique, port-reduction methods, and a lung-preserving strategy. Herein, we have shown uniportal VATS anatomical resection of right anterior pulmonary segment to be a viable option for a 10-year-old child with CPAM confined to a single lung segment.

Thoracoscopic Anatomical Sublobar Resection Including Subsegmentectomy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Among anatomical sublobar resection techniques for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the clinical benefit of subsegmentectomy remains unclear. We investigated whether anatomical sublobar resection including subsegmentectomy-segmental resection with subsegmental additional resection or subsegmental resection alone-is an effective and feasible surgical procedure for NSCLC. We retrospectively reviewed data of 285 patients with clinical stage I NSCLC who underwent anatomical sublobar resection at our institution from January 2013 to March 2021 and compared surgical outcomes between patients who underwent anatomical sublobar resection including (IS; n = 50) and excluding (ES; n = 235) subsegmentectomy. No significant intergroup differences were noted in terms of age, sex, smoking, comorbidities, tumor size or location, consolidation tumor ratio, and preoperative pulmonary function. The IS group had more preoperative computed tomography-guided markings (34 vs. 15%; p = .004) and smaller resected lung volumes converted to the total subsegment number [3 (2-4) vs. 3 (3-6); p = .02] than the ES group. No significant differences in margin distance [mm, 20 (15-20) vs. 20 (20-20); p = .93], readmission rate (2% vs. 3%; p > .99), and intraoperative (8% vs. 7%; p = .77) or postoperative (8% vs. 10%; p = .80) complication rates were observed, and the 5-year local recurrence-free survival (91% vs. 90%; p = .92) or postoperative pulmonary function change were comparable between both groups. Although further investigations are required, anatomical sublobar resection including subsegmentectomy for clinical stage I NSCLC could be an acceptable therapeutic option.

Uniportal versus multiportal nonintubated thoracoscopic anatomical resection for lung cancer: A propensity-matched analysis

No studies have compared between uniportal and multiportal nonintubated thoracoscopic anatomical resection for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We aimed to compare short- and long-term postoperative outcomes concerning these two methods.Our retrospective dataset comprised patients with NSCLC who underwent uniportal or multiportal nonintubated thoracoscopic anatomical resection between January 2011 and December 2019. The primary outcome was recurrence-free survival. Propensity scores were matched according to age, sex, body mass index, pulmonary function, tumor size, cancer stage, and surgical method.In total, 1130 such patients underwent nonintubated video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), and 490 consecutive patients with stage I-III NSCLC underwent nonintubated anatomical resection, including lobectomy and segmentectomy (uniportal, n = 158 [32.3%]; multiportal, n = 331 [67.7%]). The uniportal group had fewer dissected lymph nodes and lymph node stations. In paired group analysis, the uniportal group had shorter operation durations (99.8 vs. 138.2 min; P < 0.001), lower intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates and ICU admission intervals (7.0% vs. 27.8%; P < 0.001), and shorter postoperative hospital stays (4.1 days vs. 5.2 days; P < 0.001). The most common postoperative complication was prolonged air leaks. No surgical mortality was observed. The multiportal group had higher complication rates for grades ≥ II NSCLC; however, this difference was not significant (4.4% vs. 1.3%, respectively; P = 0.09).Nonintubated uniportal VATS for anatomical resection had better results for some perioperative outcomes than multiportal VATS. Oncological outcomes such as recurrence-free and overall survival remained uncompromised, despite fewer dissected lymph nodes.

Prolonged air leak after video-assisted thoracic anatomical pulmonary resections: a clinical predicting model based on data from the Italian VATS group registry, a machine learning approach.

Prolonged air leak (PAL) is a frequent complication after lung resection surgery and has a high clinical and economic impact. A useful risk predictor model can help recognize those patients who might benefit from additional preventive procedures. Currently, no risk model has sufficient discriminatory capacity to be used in common clinical practice. The aim of this study is to identify predictive risk factors for PAL after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomical resections in the Italian VATS group database and to evaluate their clinical and statistical performance. We processed data collected in the second edition of the Italian VATS group registry. It includes patients that underwent a thoracoscopic anatomical resection for benign or malignant diseases, between November 2015 and December 2020. We used recursive feature elimination (RFE), using a backward selection process, to find the optimal combination of predictors. The study population was randomly split based on the outcome into a derivation (80%) and an internal validation cohort (20%). Discrimination of the model was measured using the area under the curve, or C-statistic. Calibration was displayed using a calibration plot and was measured using Emax and Eavg, the maximum and the average difference in predicted versus loess calibrated probabilities. A cohort of 6,236 patients was eligible for the study after application of the exclusion criteria. Five-day PAL rate in this patient cohort was 11.3%. For the construction of our predictive model, we used both preoperative and intraoperative variables, with a total of 320 variables. The presence of variables with missing values greater than 5% led to 120 remaining predictors. RFE algorithm recommended 8 features for the model that are relevant in predicting the target variable. We confirmed significant prognostic risk factors for the prediction of PAL: decreased DLCO/VA ratio, longer duration of surgery, male sex, the need for adhesiolysis, COPD, and right side. We identified middle lobe resections and ground glass opacity as protective factors. After internal validation, a C statistic of 0.63 was revealed, which is too low to generate a reliable score in clinical practice.

Ten-year experience in the clinical management of intralobar pulmonary sequestration in children.

Intralobar pulmonary sequestration (ILS) is rare and its optimal clinical management remains ambiguous. This study aimed to introduce our 10-year experience in clinical management of ILS. And the application of our novel surgical method, thoracoscopic anatomical lesion resection (TALR) on ILS was introduced. Patients with ILS who received treatment between December 2010 and2020 were included in this study, retrospectively. A binary logistic regression model was used to assess risk factors for preoperative symptoms. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were compared between the thoracoscopic lobectomy and lung-sparing surgery groups. A total of 112 patients were included in this study. Age and maximum cyst diameter were risk factors for preoperative symptoms. Lung-sparing surgery proved to be safe and feasible with no residual lesions. The overall prognosis of early thoracoscopic surgery for ILS was good. Lung-sparing surgery, especially TALR could be used as a first-line surgery for ILS. It may resolve the long-standing controversy over whether surgery for asymptomatic patients with ILS.

A Novel Surgical Method for Congenital Lung Malformations: A Pilot Study

Thoracoscopic surgery for congenital lung malformations (CLMs) has been widely used. However, there are still many shortcomings in the current surgical methods, such as the removal of some normal lung tissue and residual lesions. Thoracoscopic anatomical lesion resection (TALR) may be an effective and safe method to resolve these problems. This retrospective study was conducted to estimate the safety and efficiency of TALR. A retrospective review of clinical data involving patients who underwent TALR in our hospital from October 2019 to January 2021 was performed. Clinical data, including patients' demographic characteristics, manipulative details, and postoperative complications, were extracted and analyzed. A total of 95 cases were included in this study. All cases were operated on under thoracoscope, with no conversion to open surgery. The average operation time was 63.2 ± 15.2 min (range 36-142 min). The average bleeding volume during the operation was 5.8 ± 2.1 mL (range 2-10 mL). The mean diameter of the lesion was 4.4 ± 1.9 cm (range 3-7 cm). All cases had no complications, such as bronchopleurothelial fistula, hemorrhage, atelectasis, or pulmonary infection. Two patients developed pneumothorax 1 month after the operation and were cured by closed thoracic drainage. One month after the operation, chest CT showed regular cysts in 2 cases. The other patients were followed up for over 1 year by chest CT after the operation, and all recovered well without residual lesions or recurrence. Combined with the preoperative thin slice CT and intraoperative lesion boundary, anatomical intrapulmonary dissociation based on the pulmonary vein system, TALR, as a lung-sparing surgery of completely removing the lesion and retaining all normal lung tissue, has high safety and effectiveness in the treatment of CLMs.

Full thoracoscopic segmentectomies for lung cancer: rational of a multiportal fissure-based approach

: Following the partial results of ongoing randomized trials, thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resections (SLRs) may become the standard treatment of ground-glass opacities (GGO) and of some early- stage lung carcinomas. However, these procedures are challenging. The performance of closed-chest pulmonary segmentectomies, especially for complex ones, requires a meticulous dissection of bronchovascular elements. A thorough preparation facilitates the procedure. In this article, we review the different technical and technological aspects of the multiportal approach with fissure-first dissection. Prerequisites are (I) precise preoperative study of the anatomical variations, based on 3D reconstructions or 3D printing, (II) preoperative evaluation of safety margins, based on a virtual margin, (III) for small nodules, localization of the target using either preoperative or intraoperative marking, (IV) fissure-based approach to allow extensive dissection of bronchovascular elements, (V) intraoperative analysis of resection margins and intersegmental lymph nodes in order to extend resection in case on invaded margin or lymph node, (VI) accurate delineation and division of the intersegmental plane. Technical and technological helpful means are discussed in this article.

Uniportal thoracoscopic sublobar anatomical resections for small pulmonary nodules

The study aims to compare the thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy outcomes. Lobectomy is considered the standard treatment method for operable non-small cell lung cancer. Recent studies have suggested that segmentectomy seems to be an acceptable alternative to lobectomy for surgical management of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. This retrospective study included 475 patients who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical resection at the Thoracic Surgery Department at University Hospital Bratislava for malignant or benign pathology from October 2012 to December 2021. Thoracoscopic lobectomy was offered to 438 patients, and 37 were treated by thoracoscopic segmentectomy. We recorded no difference between groups considering age and gender. The most common findings in the thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy groups were primary lung cancer (73.44 %) and pulmonary metastases (59.5 %). Thoracoscopic lobectomy was associated with longer operative time (80.00 vs 110.00 min;p<0.001) and postoperative hospital stay (3.00 vs 4.00 days;p<0.001). Both procedures were associated with a similar incidence of both intraoperative (0 % vs 4.8 %;p=0.394) and postoperative complications (16 % vs 23 %;p=0.353). Thoracoscopic segmentectomy is a safe and effective procedure. This technique is a viable alternative to thoracoscopic lobectomy in indicated cases. It is still not accepted as a standard procedure for lung cancer, and we would like to start a discussion on this topic (Tab. 5, Fig. 2, Ref. 20).

Roles and outcomes of thoracoscopic anatomic lung subsegmentectomy for lung cancer.

We performed sublobar resections, including thoracoscopic segmentectomy and subsegmentectomy for small lung cancers, and analysed the results of indications and outcomes of thoracoscopic subsegmentectomy. Between March 2005 and May 2020, 357 consecutive patients underwent thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resections for lung cancer, including 68 patients undergoing subsegmentectomy. These patients were compared with 289 patients who underwent segmentectomy during the same period. Subsegmentectomies included mono-/bi-/tri-subsegmentectomies for 34/23/11 of 68 patients, respectively. The median tumour size was 13.5 mm, significantly smaller than tumours in patients who underwent a segmentectomy (P < 0.001). Tumours obtained by mono-subsegmentectomy (11.0 mm) were significantly smaller than bi-/tri-subsegmentectomy (P = 0.028). The proportion of ground-glass opacity-dominant tumours obtained by subsegmentectomy (85.3%) was higher than that obtained by segmentectomy. The proportion of intentional cases satisfying the criteria for sublobar resection was higher than that of segmentectomy cases. Although tumour locations in 40 patients were not identified during surgery, tumours were correctly resected in 39 patients without tumour markers. The median operative time and blood loss were 167 min and 13 ml, significantly shorter and less, respectively, in subsegmentectomy than in segmentectomy patients (P = 0.005, P = 0.006). Duration of drainage and hospitalization were 1 and 5 days, respectively, for subsegmentectomy patients; complications occurred in 6 (8.8%). Outcomes were similar to those of the segmentectomy patients. Although 4 subsegmentectomy patients died of other diseases, none showed cancer recurrence during a mean follow-up of 50 months. Thoracoscopic subsegmentectomy can be used for patients with ground-glass opacity-dominant lung cancers <1.5 cm if adequate margins can be secured.

Learning curve for completely thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resection.

Minimally invasive anatomic sublobar resection is increasingly being considered as an alternative to lobectomy in selected cases. However, this remains a technically challenging procedure and only 5 studies evaluating learning curves have been published to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate a single surgeon's learning curve for completely thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resection. A retrospective review was conducted of all thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resections by one surgeon proficient in VATS lobectomy between January 2015 and January 2020. The primary outcome was operative time. Secondary outcomes were perioperative complications, duration of chest tube drainage and length of stay. There were 67 thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resections performed in 66 patients. A Time-series plot and Cumulative Sum analysis of operative times showed a drop off after case 32, suggesting achievement of competency. After case 32, mean operative times were decreased (128.59±32.42 min. vs. 153.63±40.16 min, P=0.013) and there was a trend toward decreased blood loss (124.26±76.0 vs. 175.0±141.99 mL, P=0.073). A percentage 13.6% of patients had postoperative complications other than air leak and 88,9% of these were Clavien-Dindo class 1-2; postoperative complications were evenly distributed before and after case 32. Cumlulative Sum curves for the duration of chest tube drainage and length of stay did not show any significant change during the study period. This study suggests that for a surgeon proficient in VATS lobectomy, competency in completely thoracoscopic anatomic sublobar resection can be achieved after 32 cases and can be accomplished in a way that does not compromise perioperative outcomes.

Single-port thoracoscopic anatomic resection for chronic inflammatory lung disease

BackgroundIt is challenging to proceed thoracoscopic anatomic resection when encountering severe pleural adhesion or calcified peribronchial lymphadenopathy. Compared with multiple-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (MP-VATS), how to overcome these challenges in single-port (SP-) VATS is still an intractable problem. In the present study, we reported the surgical results of chronic inflammatory lung disease and shared some useful SP-VATS techniques.MethodsWe retrospectively assessed the surgical results of chronic inflammatory lung disease, primarily bronchiectasis, and mycobacterial infection, at our institution between 2010 and 2018. The patients who underwent SP-VATS anatomic resection were compared with those who underwent MP-VATS procedures. We analyzed the baseline characteristics, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes, and illustrated four special techniques depending on the situation: flexible hook electrocautery, hilum-first technique, application of Satinsky vascular clamp, and staged closure of bronchial stump method.ResultsWe classified 170 consecutive patients undergoing thoracoscopic anatomic resection into SP and MP groups, which had significant between-group differences in operation time and overall complication rate (P = 0.037 and 0.018, respectively). Compared to the MP-VATS group, the operation time of SP-VATS was shorter, and the conversion rate of SP-VATS was relatively lower (3.1% vs. 10.5%, P = 0.135). The most common complication was prolonged air leakage (SP-VATS, 10.8%; MP-VATS, 2.9%, P = 0.045).ConclusionsFor chronic inflammatory lung disease, certain surgical techniques render SP-VATS anatomic resection feasible and safe with a lower conversion rate.

Outcome of thoracoscopic anatomical sublobar resection under 3-dimensional computed tomography simulation.

Previous studies have reported the feasibility and efficacy of thoracoscopic anatomical sublobar resection under three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) simulation; however, its long-term outcomes have not been clearly established in primary lung cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of this technique. We retrospectively reviewed data from 112 consecutive patients with selected clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent thoracoscopic anatomical sublobar resection from 2004 to 2014. This procedure was planned using preoperative 3DCT simulation to ensure sufficient surgical margins and enabled tailor-made surgery for each patient. Patients who had predominantly ground glass opacity lung cancers underwent anatomical sublobar resection as a curative-intent resection. Other patients who were high-risk candidates for lobectomy underwent anatomical sublobar resection as a compromised limited resection. Of the 112 cases, 82 had a curative-intent resection, while 30 had a compromised limited resection. Recurrence occurred in only 2 cases (1.8%), both of which were in the compromised limited group. A second primary lung cancer was observed in 5 cases (4.5%). Of the 5 patients, 4 underwent surgery for a second cancer and had no recurrence. The 5-year overall survival, lung cancer-specific overall survival, and recurrence-free survival rates were 92.5%, 100%, and 98.2%, respectively, for all cases; 97.6%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, in the curative-intent group; and 75.8%, 100% and 92.6%, respectively, in the compromised limited group. Thoracoscopic anatomical sublobar resection under 3DCT simulation may be an acceptable alternative treatment in selected patients with NSCLC. Clinical registration number: IRB No. 2020-98 (Dated: 2020.6.30).

Comparison of surgical outcomes between thoracoscopic anatomical sublobar resection including and excluding subsegmentectomy.

Despite the ubiquitous utilization of anatomical sublobar resection for malignant lung tumors, the effectiveness and feasibility of subsegmentectomy remains unclear. This study therefore compared the perioperative outcomes between anatomical sublobar resection including (IS) and excluding (ES) subsegmentectomy. Patients who had undergone anatomical sublobar resection at our institution from January 2013 to March 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinicopathologic characteristics and perioperative outcomes of the IS group (n = 58) were then analyzed the compared to those of the ES group (n = 203). No statistically significant differences in age, sex, comorbidities, tumor location, preoperative pulmonary function, or tumor size on imaging were found between both groups. The IS group had significantly higher preoperative computed tomography-guided marking rates (40% vs. 18%; p < 0.01) and used significantly more staplers for intersegmental dissection than the ES group [4, interquartile range (IQR): 3-4 vs. 3, IQR: 3-4; p = 0.03]. Both groups had comparable 30-day mortality (0% vs. 0%; p > 0.99), intraoperative complications (7% vs. 10%; p = 0.61), and postoperative complications (5% vs. 8%; p = 0.58). After propensity score matching, the IS group experienced significantly lesser blood loss than the ES group (5mL, IQR: 1-10 vs. 5mL, IQR: 5-20; p = 0.03). Both groups experienced no local recurrence and demonstrated similar postoperative pulmonary functions after surgery. IS may be a feasible and acceptable therapeutic option for malignant lung tumors. Nonetheless, future investigations are required to further validate the current findings.

The application of 3D reconstruction technique in thoracoscopic posterior basal segmentectomy

Objective To explore the safety and effectiveness of 3D reconstruction in thoracoscopic posterior basal segmentectomy (S10). Methods Between March 2018 to September 2018, 14 patients underwent thoracoscopic anatomical resection of the posterior basal segment of the lung (S10). Results Of the 14 patients, including 5 males and 9 females, age (52.2±5.3)years, size (1.1±0.6)cm, 6 left S10 and 8 right S10. The number of pathological type of microinvasive adenocarcinoma, benign nodule, and metastatic carcinoma was 12, 1, and 1 cases. The average preoperative planning time was (44.9±5.7)min, and the average operation time was (134.8±26.3)min. The blood loss was (25.5±4.1)ml, with (8.1±2.7) lymphadenectomy, no positive metastasis. The coincidence rate of 3D reconstruction and intraoperative anastomosis in the tumor location, B10, A10, and V10 were 100%(14/14), 100%(14/14), 93%(13/14) and 71%(10/14). The median duration of chest tube insertion was (2.3±2.1)day. The incidence of postoperative complications was 21%(3/14), including 7%(1/14) of air leakage, 7%(1/14) of arrhythmia, 14%(2/14) of pulmonary infection, and 14%(2/14) of operation. All the cutting edge was >2 cm. There was no perioperative death, no conversion to thoracotomy or lobectomy. The mean follow-up time was (8.1±2.2)months. There were no recurrence, metastasis or death in the 14 patients. One patient had chronic cough and no hemoptysis. Conclusions Preoperative 3D reconstruction make the anatomic thoracoscopic posterior basal segmentectomy (S10) safer and more effective. Key words: Imaging, three-dimensional; Bronchography; Thoracoscopy; Pneumonectomy

Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery in lung cancer: largest experience.

Background Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is one of the latest development in minimal invasive thoracic surgery. It is being increasing applied in various parts of the world for the treatment of lung cancer. Although the technique has become popular, there is a lack of largescale literature addressing the safety and oncological outcomes. We aimed to describe our experience, highlighting the short-term outcomes and oncological efficacy. Methods From July 2013 to December 2017, 441 uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic procedures were carried out in patients with primary lung cancer and no metastatic disease. The male-to-female ratio was 240:201. The median age of the patients was 63 years (range10 to 85 years). Results The median number of mediastinal lymph node stations dissected and median number of mediastinal nodes were 5 and 14, respectively. Ten or more nodes were dissected in 93.1% of patients. All surgeries were complete R0 resection. Minor postoperative morbidity according to the Clavien-Dindo classification was 4%. Seven patients experienced major morbidity requiring intensive care management. There was no 30-day mortality. Conclusion Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic anatomical resection for lung cancer appears to have similar postoperative outcomes to multiport surgery in terms of short-term morbidity and oncological efficacy. Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery can be offered as a standard of care for lung cancer surgery in centers with adequate surgical expertise. Long-term follow-up will be needed to establish the long-term oncological outcomes.

Clinical Value Evaluation of Perioperative Prophylactic Anticoagulation Therapy for Lung Cancer Patients

背景与目的肺癌患者围手术期肺栓塞（pulmonary embolism, PE）发生率有增高的趋势，预防肺栓塞是加速康复外科的重要组成部分，然而肺癌患者围术期预防性抗凝时机仍存在争议。本研究旨在探讨肺癌患者围手术期应用抗凝药物预防肺栓塞的安全性和有效性。方法连续收集2016年6月-2016年12月，在四川大学华西医院胸外科行胸腔镜肺解剖性肺切除术的肺癌患者共562例，其中56例肺癌患术前12 h开始应用低分子肝素（low molecular weight heparin, LMWH）抗凝直到出院；506例患者术后24 h开始应用直到出院。分析围手术期胸腔引流量、术后出血和肺栓塞发生率、肺部相关并发症等。结果① 凝血酶原时间（prothrombin time, PT）、活化部分凝血活酶时间（activated partial thromboplastin time, APTT）和国际标准化比值（international normalized ratio, INR）在术前[(11.5±3.9) s, (27.8±3.5) s, (0.96±0.06) s]与术后抗凝组[(11.4±1.4) s, (28.3±4.0) s, (0.98±0.07) s]均无统计学差异（P=0.796, P=0.250, P=0.137）；Caprini评分在术前（3.1±1.8）和术后（3.3±1.5）抗凝组也无统计学差异（P=0.104）；②麻醉时间和术中出血量在术前抗凝组[(130.2±53.9) min, (76.8±49.3) mL]和术后抗凝组[(142.2±56.5) min, (73.7±41.6) mL]均无统计学差异（P=0.067, P=0.201)。③术后72 h总引流量在术前抗凝组[(728.1±505.7) mL]显著高于术后抗凝组[(596.4±373.5) mL]（P=0.005），而两组患者术后总引流量[(1, 066.8±1, 314.6) mL, (907.8±999.8) mL]无差异（P=0.203）；④肺栓塞和术后出血发生率在术前（1.785%, 1.785%）和术后（0.019%, 0.039%）抗凝组均无显著性差异（P=0.525, P=0.300）；⑤皮下气肿和肺部感染发生率在术前（1.785%, 14.285%）和术后（1.581%, 6.324%）抗凝组均无显著性差异（P=0.989, P=0.085）。结论肺癌患者术前或术后预防性应用抗凝药物临床效果相当。

Perioperative changes of serum albumin are a predictor of postoperative pulmonary complications in lung cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study.

A decrease in serum albumin is commonly observed after lung cancer surgery, however, whether it is associated with postoperative outcomes is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the reduction of serum albumin (ΔALB) on postoperative day one could serve as a predictor of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) after thoracoscopic anatomical resection in lung cancer patients. Patients characteristics were compared between groups of whether they experienced PPCs or not. The cutoff value of ΔALB was examined by receiver operating characteristic curve to find out the threshold value of ΔALB in predicting PPCs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify potential risk factors for PPCs. Totally 533 patients were included into analysis, and among them, 52 experienced PPCs. The ΔALB was significant in the PPCs group than in the non-PPCs group (P<0.001), and ΔALB was observed an independent risk factor for PPCs (OR =2.268, 95% CI: 1.153-4.460). The cutoff value of ΔALB in predicting PPCs was 14.97%. Patients with ΔALB ≥14.97% were more likely to have PPCs (P<0.001). A reduction of serum albumin with a cut-off value of 14.97% can be served as a predictor to identify patients at high risk of developing PPCs following thoracosopic anatomical lung cancer surgery.