title: Short-term results of thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy for lung cancer in koo foundation sun yat-sen cancer center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy have been demonstrated to be safe and technically feasible for curative resection of lung cancer. This minimally invasive surgery is increasingly popular and adopted by the world all over. We report our short-term results of thoracoscopic lobectomy/segmentectomy operations comparing with previous surgical approach for lung cancer resection by muscle-sparing vertical minithoracotomy in Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of 317 consecutive patients who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy either by thoracoscopic surgery (n=121) or muscle-sparing vertical mini-thoracotomy (n=195) for lung cancer in Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer center between Jan 2000 and Jun 2009. The operative details, postoperative complication, and length of stay were statistically analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thoracoscopic lobectomy and segmentectomy were performed successfully in 121 patients. One patient was converted to open thoracotomy during operation due to uncontrolled bleeding. There is no significant difference in age factors (p=0.763), forced expiratory volume in one second (p=0.480) or comorbidities (p=0.549) between these two groups. Thoracoscopic group had a significantly predominant percentage in women, diabetes mellitus, less smoking index and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease incidence. Patients undergoing a thoracoscopic surgery had a shorter length of stay (6.8±3.4 vs. 10.2±9.1 days, p<0.001), longer operative time (3.6±1.0 vs. 3.2±1.2 hours, p=0.004), and less blood loss (102.7±95.7 vs. 140.1±171.2 ml, p<0.029). There was no significant difference in postoperative complication rate between the two groups (18.2% vs. 23.6%, p=0.255). No surgical mortality was found in the thoracoscopic group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggested thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer would be as safe as muscle-sparing vertical mini-thoracotomy in lobectomy and segmentectomy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Koo Foundation Sun Yat-Sen Cancer Center;
authors.forename: Bing-Yen
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chia-Chuan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chih-Shiun
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Shih