TY - JOUR
T1 - Videothoracoscopic staging and treatment of lung cancer
AU - Roviaro, GianCarlo
AU - Varoli, Federico
AU - Rebuffat, Carlo
AU - Vergani, Contardo
AU - Maciocco, Marco
AU - Scalambra, Silvio Marco
AU - Sonnino, Davide
AU - Gozi, Guidubaldo
PY - 1995
Y1 - 1995
N2 - Videothoracoscopy, routinely performed as the initial step of an operation, opens interesting opportunities for both the operative staging and treatment of lung cancer. Videosurgical maneuvers ensure thorough exploration of the cavity, thus avoiding unnecessary exploratory thoracotomies, confirming resectability of the lesion by open or, in selected cases, by a direct video-assisted approach. We report our experience of 155 patients submitted to videothoracoscopic operative staging between October 1991 and January 1994. Videothoracoscopic operative staging showed unresectability in 13 patients (8.3%) due to preoperatively unexpected (10 patients) or suspected conditions (3 patients). The remaining 142 patients were divided by staging of the lesion and general conditions into three groups. Group A consisted of 13 elderly patients with small peripheral tumor who could not tolerate lobectomy and who underwent thoracoscopic wedge resection. Group B consisted of 63 patients with peripheral clinical T1 N0 or T2 N0 tumor. Fifty-two lobectomies and 4 pneumonectomies were carried out thoracoscopically. Seven conversions to thoracotomy were necessary due to technical problems. The postoperative course was uneventful in 51, 5 had prolonged air leakage, and a bronchial fistula developed in 1 because of positive-pressure postoperative ventilation. Group C consisted of 66 patients with stage II or IIIa neoplasm. Thoracotomy after thoracoscopy proved unresectability in 4, whereas 62 were submitted to a radical pulmonary resection. In the literature the incidence of exploratory thoracotomies for conditions missed by preoperative staging still remains high. After adoption of videothoracoscopic operative staging we reported a 2.6% exploratory thoracotomy rate. This is sufficient to justify routine performing of videothoracoscopic operative staging as the first step of operation for lung cancer. Furthermore, videothoracoscopic operative staging permits confirmation of resectability of the lesion and, in selected patients, even direct video-excision. In our experience videothoracoscopic treatment proved a safe and concrete opportunity.
AB - Videothoracoscopy, routinely performed as the initial step of an operation, opens interesting opportunities for both the operative staging and treatment of lung cancer. Videosurgical maneuvers ensure thorough exploration of the cavity, thus avoiding unnecessary exploratory thoracotomies, confirming resectability of the lesion by open or, in selected cases, by a direct video-assisted approach. We report our experience of 155 patients submitted to videothoracoscopic operative staging between October 1991 and January 1994. Videothoracoscopic operative staging showed unresectability in 13 patients (8.3%) due to preoperatively unexpected (10 patients) or suspected conditions (3 patients). The remaining 142 patients were divided by staging of the lesion and general conditions into three groups. Group A consisted of 13 elderly patients with small peripheral tumor who could not tolerate lobectomy and who underwent thoracoscopic wedge resection. Group B consisted of 63 patients with peripheral clinical T1 N0 or T2 N0 tumor. Fifty-two lobectomies and 4 pneumonectomies were carried out thoracoscopically. Seven conversions to thoracotomy were necessary due to technical problems. The postoperative course was uneventful in 51, 5 had prolonged air leakage, and a bronchial fistula developed in 1 because of positive-pressure postoperative ventilation. Group C consisted of 66 patients with stage II or IIIa neoplasm. Thoracotomy after thoracoscopy proved unresectability in 4, whereas 62 were submitted to a radical pulmonary resection. In the literature the incidence of exploratory thoracotomies for conditions missed by preoperative staging still remains high. After adoption of videothoracoscopic operative staging we reported a 2.6% exploratory thoracotomy rate. This is sufficient to justify routine performing of videothoracoscopic operative staging as the first step of operation for lung cancer. Furthermore, videothoracoscopic operative staging permits confirmation of resectability of the lesion and, in selected patients, even direct video-excision. In our experience videothoracoscopic treatment proved a safe and concrete opportunity.
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U2 - 10.1016/0003-4975(95)00029-K
DO - 10.1016/0003-4975(95)00029-K
M3 - Article
C2 - 7695426
AN - SCOPUS:0028906951
VL - 59
SP - 971
EP - 974
JO - Annals of Thoracic Surgery
JF - Annals of Thoracic Surgery
SN - 0003-4975
IS - 4
ER -