[Video-guided surgical resection of solitary pulmonary nodules. Significance of thoraco-conversion in cancer cases. Apropos of 34 cases]

The use of video-guides surgery for major pulmonary resections in cancer patients raises a problem of safety and oncological quality. The aim of this prospective study was to demonstrate the oncological contribution of systematic thoracotomy in suspected stage I cancer patients. Between February 1993 and December 1996, we operated 34 consecutive patients with a solitary primary neoplastic lung nodule using normal fibroscopy and preoperative CT scan to detect mediastinal nodes. The nodules measured a mean 18.5 mm. Diagnosis was confirmed at peroperative pathology examination of the video-guided surgical resection, generally leading to thoracotomy for lobectomy-dissection. The final tumoral stage affirmed the initial diagnosis (stage I) in only 19 cases (56%). Peroperative findings showed that the other patients had more advance disease: 2 stage II (T1N1) (6%), 11 stage IIa (T1N2) (32%) and 2 stage IIIb (satellite nodule in the remaining lobe measuring 6 and 7 cm) (6%). These findings emphasize the importance of complete node dissection as well as the need to carefully palpate the entire lung. Thoracotomy remains the most reliable and reproducible method for safely fulfilling the oncological requirements.