Safety of video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer in a low-volume unit

Future Oncol. 2016 Dec;12(23s):47-50. doi: 10.2217/fon-2016-0367. Epub 2016 Oct 21.

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated that for complex surgical procedures, surgeons who treat more patients have better outcomes than their lower-volume counterparts. The aim of this paper is to review the experience with video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomies in our small thoracic unit (group A), to understand whether our short-term results were different to the outcomes obtained by the same surgeon previously working in a high-volume unit (group B). 37 patients underwent VATS lobectomy. Hospital stay was on average 4.5 days (group A) versus 4.1 days (group B). Operative time and the number of 'frozen sections' were higher in group A. Hospital mortality was 0. VATS lobectomies are a safe approach in a low-volume unit formed by a single surgeon with a previous high-volume experience.

Keywords: VATS lobectomy; anatomical VATS resection; low-volume center; non-small-cell lung cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / surgery*
  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Length of Stay
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Operative Time
  • Pneumonectomy / adverse effects
  • Pneumonectomy / methods*
  • Postoperative Complications
  • Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / adverse effects
  • Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome