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A video-assisted thoracic surgery approach to en bloc resection of lung cancer invading the chest wall is described. Using a minimally invasive surgical approach combined with neoadjuvant external beam radiotherapy, complete resection of an upper lobe carcinoma invading two rib segments was performed in a manner that permitted complete resection with curative intent and allowed for rapid recovery.

Objective: To evaluate the outcomes from a new surgical technique for lobectomy., Patients: Two hundred fifty consecutive patients with an average age of 67.3 years underwent simultaneously stapled lobectomy., Methods: Video-assisted thoracic surgical non-rib spreading lobectomy (VNSSL) is a new technique that has been evolving for approximately 6.5 years. During 1990, we began using video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for simple, benign diseases. Throughout 1991, VATS was applied to malignant problems, ie, mediastinal masses, staging of lymph nodes, malignant effusions, and coin lesions. As experience was acquired, more complex procedures were attempted, such as lobectomy. On September 9, 1991, our first VATS lobectomy, using anatomic hilar dissection and lymph node sampling, was performed for primary carcinoma of the lung. One year later, we performed our first VNSSL using simultaneous stapling., Results: Currently, 400 VNSSLs have been performed. In this entire series, there have been no surgical mortality, bronchopleural fistulas, port implantations, or transfusions. Bronchial stumps have averaged 4 mm in length, and all have been microscopically negative for neoplasm. In order to evaluate long-term survival for primary carcinoma of the lung in patients with an adequate duration of follow-up, the first 250 consecutive VNSSLs have been reviewed. There were 120 male and 130 female patients ranging in age from 20 to 92 years old who had 62 right upper lobe, 20 right middle lobe, 58 right lower lobe, 63 left upper lobe, and 33 left lower lobe lobectomies, and 14 bilobectomies. The lesions consisted of 214 primary carcinomas, 8 metastatic lesions, and 28 benign problems. Seven to 18 lymph nodes could be resected during staging of the primary neoplasms. The tumors ranged in size from 1 to 9 cm, and operating times averaged 78.6 min. Hospitalization averaged 2.83 days. No patient was admitted to the ICU. Intensive monitoring or narcotic analgesia were not needed. No epidural or intercostal anesthesia was used. Complications were infrequent and minor. Most patients returned to preoperative levels of physical activity within 7 to 10 days. Overall survival at a mean of 34 months, when all stages of neoplasms were combined, is 83%. For stage I, overall survival is 92%. The cost of VNSSL is approximately 50% less than the traditional open thoracotomy., Conclusions: VNSSL is an oncologic technique that has been clinically rewarding and economically beneficial for patients with malignant lesions. Long-term survival for primary carcinoma currently exceeds reports being published for the traditional open thoracotomy. Scientific reasons for this extraordinary survival are emerging. Complications, surgical mortality, pain, and length of stay have all been reduced. Patient recovery, comfort, and satisfaction have been extraordinary.

A new technique for pulmonary lobectomy has been utilized for malignant lesions. Eighty-five consecutive patients with pulmonary neoplasms underwent a VATS non-rib spread Simultaneously Stapled Lobectomy. There were 34 males and 51 females with 61 adeno, 21 squamous, 2 large cell and 1 carcinoid tumor who underwent 18 left upper, 13 left lower, 20 right upper, 7 right middle and 27 right lower lobectomies. Forty-one mediastinoscopies were negative. Patients with positive mediastinoscopies were not selected for curative resection. At VATS exploration, 10 patients had positive nodes. All resected nodes were negative in the other patients. Every bronchoscopy was negative. Operating times averaged 84.5 minutes. No patient received a transfusion. Lesions ranged from 1 cm to 8 cms with an average size of 3.62 cms. Post-operative length of stay averaged 3.38 days. There was no surgical mortality, no hemorrhage, no transfusion and no conversion to an open case in the entire series. No bronchial, vascular or broncho vascular fistula occurred. Complications were minor from which all patients recovered completely. Survival seems similar to patients resected by traditional open techniques.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate and determine the validity and benefits of video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled pulmonary lobectomy without rib spreading., Methods: Between September 1992 and August 1995, 100 consecutive video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomies without rib spreading were performed., Results: Forty-five male and 55 female patients had 24 right upper, 8 right middle, 29 right lower, 24 left upper, 15 left lower lobectomies for 66 adenocarcinomas, 20 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 large cell carcinomas, 8 benign lesions, and 2 metastatic lesions. Seventy-six patients had negative nodes. Nine patients had positive nodes. Every bronchoscopy was visually and cytologically negative. Forty-nine cervical mediastinoscopies were negative. Operating time for the series averaged 90.3 minutes. Hospitalization averaged 3.5 days for the entire group, but was 2.6 days for the last 20 patients. Lesions ranged from 1.5 to 8 cm, averaging 3.4 cm. There was no surgical mortality, no hemorrhage, no transfusion, and no urgent conversion to an open procedure. No bronchial fistula, vascular fistula, or bronchovascular fistula has occurred. Complications included 6 air leaks, 2 cerebrovascular accidents, 1 infected chest tube site, 2 cases of pneumonitis, and 1 subcutaneous emphysema., Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomy without rib spreading is a safe operation that can be combined with lymph node sampling. At this early stage, therapeutic outcomes (survival) for resected neoplasms appear similar to results obtained from traditional open techniques.

Seeding of carcinoma has always been of concern to surgeons. Recent reports have focused on possible implantation of tumor in the small wounds of minimally invasive procedures, i.e. VATS. A patient is presented who had a conventional open lobectomy for carcinoma and later developed tumor in the traditional thoracotomy wound. Although seeding or tumor implantation is accepted by thoracic surgeons, the exact mechanism of tumor implantation has never been scientifically explained or documented. Possibly, a rare and necessary pattern of genetic mutations could be responsible for this infrequent but serious problem.

Forty patients with malignant pulmonary disease underwent evaluation, staging, and a biopsy or resection by means of video-assisted thoracic surgery. There were 20 men and 20 women whose ages ranged from 27 to 82 years. Eight patients had a wedge resection for metastatic carcinoma, three a lobectomy for primary carcinoma, six exploration of the thorax, five biopsy of the aortopulmonary window, and eighteen a sublobar resection for primary carcinoma of the lung. There was no mortality. Three patients had air leaks that lasted an average of 8 days. Video-assisted thoracic surgery seems to be useful for more precise staging of carcinoma of the lung, and, in some patients, resectional operations can be performed.

Imaged thoracic surgery is a new modality that is rapidly gaining acceptance from thoracic surgeons. Procedures that traditionally required a thoracotomy can now be done successfully using this technique in some patients. Three patients with primary carcinoma of the lung have undergone lobectomy using imaged thoracic surgery.