Experience of completely video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy in non-small cell lung cancer: series of consecutive 500 patients in single-center / 中华胸心血管外科杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveSummarize 500 cases of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has accepted complete videoassisted thoracoscopic (VATs) lobectomy procedure in People's Hospital of Peking University,to report the mid-term follow-up results,and to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of VATs lobectomy.MethodsBetween September 2006 and September 2011,500 cases of non-small cell lung cancer that has accepted complete thoracoscopic lobectomy in the People's Hospital of Peking University were reviewed (267 male,233 female).Median patient age was 62.3 years.The average maximal diameter of solid tumors was 2.65cm.There are 496 cases of initial treat patients and 4 cases of operation after radiation and chemotherapy.This group consisted of lobectomies of left upper lobe ( n =129),left lower lobe ( n =73 ),right upper lobe ( n =163 ),right middle lobe x( n =47 ),right lower lobe( n =89 ).The operation procedure was complete VATs lobectomy combined with systematic lymph node resection ( at least 3 groups of lymph nodes in the mediastinum area),including 480 cases of purely lobectomy,13 cases of compound lobectomy (pulmonary lobe + pulmonary lobe,or pulmonary lobe + pulmonary segment),3 cases of segmentomy,2 cases of pneumonectomy,1 case of sleeve lobectomy and 1 case of bilateral lobectomy.ResultsAll procedures were carried out smoothly without serious complication,except 1 case of death of an advanced age patient due to multi-organ failure after the operation period.The average surgical duration was 198.1 min,and average blood loss was 214.6ml.There are 5 cases of postoperative hemorrhage,identified as pulmonary artery residual ooze blood,in which 4 cases of bleeding were stopped through re-operation,and 1 case was improved through conservative treatment.The median lymph nodes dissection was 5.7 group and median number of resected lymph nodes was 16.9.The median postoperative chest tube drainage duration was 7.8 day,and median postoperative hospital stay was 10.2 day.There were 45 cases (9.0％) of conversion to open thoracotomy and 87 cases ( 17.4％ ) of slight complications,including 32 cases of cardiac abnormalities,such as continuous arrhythmia,28 cases of air leakage beyond seven days,9 cases of pulmonary infections or atelectasis,6 cases of chylothorax,and 16 cases of other complications.The results of pathology show 363 cases of adenocarcinoma,85 cases of squamous carcinoma,12 cases of adenosquamous carcinoma,28 broncho-alveolar cell carcinoma,6 cases of large cell lung cancer and 6 cases of other lung cancer.The 1-year disease free survival (DFS) was 90.2％ and 1-year overall survival (OS) was 94.3％.The 3-year DFS was 76.4％ and 3-year OS was 81.3％.ConclusionCompletely video-assisted Thoracoscopic lobectomy procedure was a safe and effctive procedure for patients with non-small cell lung cancer.