Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for patients with solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura.
OBJECTIVE
To present our experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for patients with solitary fibrous tumors of the pleura (SFTPs) and to discuss the treatment of choice of such neoplasms.


METHODS
Between June 2000 and September 2008, 21 patients with SFTPs (9 men and 12 women) underwent VATS at our department. The mean age was 52.5 years (range, 33-76 years).


RESULTS
Surgical excision was performed in all patients. Surgical excision was performed by VATS in 15 patients (71.4%), by VATS plus a small thoracotomy (<5 cm) in 4 patients (19.0%), and by posterolateral thoracotomy accompanied by VATS in 2 patients (9.5%). Mean chest drain duration was 2.3 days (range, 1-4 days), and the mean hospital stay was 7.2 days (range, 4-15 days). There were 18 pathologically benign SFTP cases (85.7%) and 3 malignant SFTP cases (14.3%). There was no operative morbidity or mortality. No recurrence or metastasis of SFTPs developed during postoperative median follow-up period of 43 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Complete resection and close follow-up for years after operation is recommended for SFTPs. VATS may play an important role in reducing the size of the thoracotomy incision in the treatment of SFTPs, which results in less invasive surgery.
Liu
Jun
J
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Cai
Chengjie
C
Wang
Daoyuan
D
Chen
Hanzhang
H
Cheng
Linling
L
Shao
Wenlong
W
Li
Shuben
S
Guan
Yubao
Y
Gu
Yingying
Y
He
Jianxing
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015505:Chest Tubes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054363:Solitary Fibrous Tumor, Pleural / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome