Application of thoracoscopic technology in elderly patients undergoing lobe resection / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the efficacy and clinical value of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in elderly patients undergoing lung resection surgery.Methods A total of 100 elderly patients with lung cancer in our hospital from January 2009 to March 2012 were randomly divided into VATS group and traditional operation group (n=50,each group).Patients in VATS group were given VATS with 3 minimally invasive cuts.Patients in traditional operation group were treated with traditional thoracotomy.There were 23 cases undergoing upper left lobectomy,24 cases undergoing left lower lobectomy,24 cases with right upper lobectomy,14 cases with right lobectomy,6 cases with right lower lobectomy,3 cases with right pneumonectomy and 6 cases with left pneumonectomy.Results The operative time was shorter in VATS group than in traditional operation group [(109± 15) min vs.(125±22) min,t=4.25,P＜0.05].The intraoperative bleeding volume and total drainage volume were less in VATS group than in traditional operation group [(105.0±21.8) ml vs.(121.0±28.2) ml,(225.0±50.4) ml vs.(121.0±28.2) ml,respectively,t=3.17,4.99,both P＜0.05].The hospital stay and surgery extubation days were less in VATS group than in traditional operation group [(3.1 ± 0.8) d vs.(3.8 ± 1.1) d,(5.8 ± 1.8) d vs.(8.7 ± 2.4) d,respectively,t =3.64,6.84,both P＜ 0.05].The incidence of pulmonary infection was lower in VATS group than in traditional operation group (10％ vs.28％,x2 =5.26,P＜0.05).Conclusions VATS is safe and effective for lobe resection in elderly lung cancer with a high cure rate and fewer complications,which can be widely applied in elderly patients with lung cancer.