Objective To explore the risk factors and short-term clinical effect of conversion to open thoracotomy during thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 423 lung cancer patients who were scheduled for thoracoscopic lobectomy between March 2011 and November 2015.There were 252 males and 171 females at median age of 60 (24-83) years. According to the patients who were and were not converted to thoracotomy, they were divided into a conversion group (378 patients) and a video-assisted thoracic surgery group (a VATS group, 45 patients). Then, clinical data of two groups were compared, and the risk factors and short-term clinical effect of unplanned conversions to thoracotomy were analyzed. Results Lymph nodes of hilar or/and interlobar fissure closely adhered to adjacent vessels and bronchi was the most common cause of unexpected conversions to thoracotomy in 15 patients (33.3%), followed by sleeve lobectomy in 11(24.4%) patients, uncontrolled hemorrhage caused by intraoperative vessel injury in 8 patients, tumor invasion or extension in 5 patients, difficulty of exposing bronchi in 3 patients, close adhesion of pleural in 2 patients, incomplete interlobar fissure in 1 patient. Conversion did translate into higher overall postoperative complication rate (P=0.030), longer operation time (P<0.001), more intraoperative blood loss (P<0.001). In the univariable analysis, the type of operation, the anatomical site of lung cancer, the lymph node enlargement of hilar in CT and the low diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) were related to conversion. Logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for conversion were sleeve lobectomy (OR=5.675, 95%CI 2.310–13.944, P<0.001), the lymph node enlargement of hilar in CT (OR=3.732, 95%CI 1.347–10.341, P=0.011) and DLCO≤5.16 mmol/(min·kPa)(OR=3.665, 95%CI 1.868–7.190, P<0.001). Conclusions Conversion to open thoracotomy during video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy for lung cancer does not increase mortality, and it is a measure of reducing the risk of surgery. Therefore, with high-risk patients who may conversion to thoracotomy, the surgeon should be careful selection for VATS candidate. And, if necessary, the decision to convert must be made promptly to reduce short-term adverse outcome.
Objective To explore the causes of conversion to thoracotomy in patients with minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) in a surgical team, and to obtain a deeper understanding of the timing of conversion in MIE. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent MIE between September 9, 2011 and February 12, 2022 by a single surgical team in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. The main influencing factors and perioperative mortality of patients who converted to thoracotomy in this group were analyzed. Results In the cohort of 791 consecutive patients with MIE, there were 520 males and 271 females, including 29 patients of multiple esophageal cancer, 156 patients of upper thoracic cancer, 524 patients of middle thoracic cancer, and 82 patients of lower thoracic cancer. And 46 patients were converted to thoracotomy for different causes. The main causes for thoracotomy were advanced stage tumor (26 patients), anesthesia-related factors (5 patients), extensive thoracic adhesions (6 patients), and accidental injury of important structures (8 patients). There was a statistical difference in the distribution of tumor locations between patients who converted to thoracotomy and the MIE patients (P<0.05). The proportion of multiple and upper thoracic cancer in patients who converted to thoracotomy was higher than that in the MIE patients, while the proportion of lower thoracic cancer was lower than that in the MIE patients. The perioperative mortality of the thoracotomy patients was not significantly different from that of the MIE patients (P=1.000). Conclusion In MIE, advanced-stage tumor, anesthesia-related factors, extensive thoracic adhesions, and accidental injury of important structures are the main causes of conversion to thoracotomy. The rate varies at different tumor locations. Intraoperative conversion to thoracotomy does not affect the perioperative mortality of MIE.