Abstract
Introduction: The aim of this work is to present experience with implementation of a minimally invasive lung resection program. Methods: A retrospective study of 123 patients (69 women; mean age 65.5 years) treated with 124 video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomies between 2012 and 2016 was performed at our institution.
VATS lobectomy was performed for lung cancer (n = 95), other pulmonary neoplasms (n = 6) and non-neoplastic diseases (n = 21). In lung cancer, systematic lymph node dissection was performed.
Results: The rate of intraoperative complications was 10.5 % (n = 13) and the conversion rate was 4.8 %. The postoperative mortality rate was 0.8 % (n = 1); one patient died due to respiratory failure during decompensated interstitial lung disease.
Postoperative complications occurred in 26 patients (21 %). The mean drainage duration was 5.2 days (range, 2-28 days) and the mean postoperative length of hospital stay was 8.5 days (range, 4-30 days) The mean number of mediastinal nodes removed was 11.
Conclusions: VATS lobectomy is a safe and radical modality for treating early stages of lung cancer and should be considered as primary surgery in these cases.