ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a central venous catheter for thoracic drainage after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy compared with a conventional chest tube.MethodsThis study collected 200 patients with lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and systematic hilar and mediastinal lymph node dissection between January 2018 and September 2019 in our hospital. The patients were randomly divided into two groups, including a group A (left with 28F chest tubes postoperatively) and a group B (left with 12G central venous catheters postoperatively). Patients in both groups were left with 2 chest tubes after upper lobectomy and 1 chest tube after middle or lower lobectomy. Duration and total volume of drainage, length of hospital stay, maximum visual analogue scale score and so forth were compared between the two groups.ResultsFinally, 151 patients were included for analysis. There were 73 patients in the group A, including 26 males and 47 females, with an average age of 55.38±9.95 years, and 78 patients in the group B, including 37 males and 41 females, with an average age of 59.86±10.18 years. No statistical difference was found between the two groups in drainage volume on postoperative day 2, and proportion of prolonged air leaks, hemothorax, chylothorax or drain reinsertion (all P>0.05). There was a statistical difference in drainage volume on postoperative day 1 [200.0 (120.0, 280.0) mL vs. 57.5 (10.0, 157.5) mL, P=0.000], postoperative day 3 [155.0 (100.0, 210.0) mL vs. 150.0 (80.0, 215.0) mL, P=0.023], total volume of drainage [890.0 (597.5, 1 530.0) mL vs. 512.5 (302.5, 786.3) mL,P=0.000], maximum pain score (2.29±0.72 points vs. 2.09±0.51 points, P=0.013) and length of hospital stay [7 (7, 9) d vs. 5 (4, 7) d, P=0.000].ConclusionCompared with conventional chest tubes, central venous catheters for chest drainage in patients with lung cancer after thoracoscopic lobectomy shortens the length of hospital stay and reduces postoperative pain.
Objective To explore the safety and feasibility of preferential manual bronchoplasty in single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) upper lobectomy. MethodsThe clinical data of 457 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent single-port VATS lobectomy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking University First Hospital from March 2020 to March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a preferential manual bronchoplasty group and a traditional single-port VATS lobectomy group with a 1 : 1 propensity score matching for further research. Results A total of 204 patients were matched, and there were 102 patients in each group. There were 50 males and 52 females aged 62.2±10.1 years in the preferential bronchoplasty group, and 49 males and 53 females aged 61.2±10.7 years in the traditional single-port VATS group. The preferential bronchoplasty group had shorter surgical time (154.4±37.0 min vs. 221.2±68.9 min, P<0.01), less bleeding (66.5±116.9 mL vs. 288.6±754.5 mL, P=0.02), more lymph node dissection (19.8±7.5 vs. 15.2±4.7, P<0.01), and a lower conversion rate to multi-port or open surgery (2.3% vs. 13.8%, P=0.04) in left upper lobe resection. In the right upper lobe resection surgery, there was no statistical difference in postoperative results between two groups. There was no perioperative death or occurrence of bronchopleural fistula in both groups. ConclusionCompared with traditional single-port VATS upper lobectomy, preferential bronchoplasty has similar safety and feasibility. In addition, priority bronchoplasty in left upper lobectomy has the advantages of shorter surgical time, less bleeding, more lymph node dissection, and lower conversion rate to multi-port or open surgery.
Objective To explore the effect of early short-term use of low-dose steroids on early acute lung injury (EALI) after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. Methods Patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy in our department from January 2019 to January 2022 were selected for this retrospective cohort study. They were divided into an early steroid treatment group and a control group based on whether steroids were used in the early postoperative period. In the early steroid treatment group, in addition to routine postoperative treatment, low-dose methylprednisolone was administered intravenously, at 80-120 mg/d for 3 consecutive days. In the control group, routine postoperative treatment was given, but no steroids were used in the first 3 days. A chest computed tomography (CT) scan was performed on postoperative day (POD) 1, and POD3 or POD4 to assess lung injury. Chest CT scores, the EALI incidence, the length of hospital stay, and the incidence of poor incision healing were recorded. ResultsA total of 521 patients were included, consisting of 255 males and 266 females, aged 11-80 years. There were 318 patients in the early steroid treatment group and 203 patients in the control group. On POD1, the incidence of EALI was 16.0% in the control group and 13.8% in the steroid group, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the CT scores of patients with EALI in the two groups (P>0.05). On POD3/4, the incidence of EALI was 33.6% in the control group and 22.7% in the steroid group, showing a significant difference (P=0.007). When comparing the CT scores of patients with EALI in both groups, the scores were lower in the steroid group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). The overall incidence of EALI on POD1-4 was 37.4% in the control group and 26.1% in the steroid group, showing a significant difference (P=0.007). Of these, 28.9% of patients in the control group showed radiological progression, which means new EALI occurred or existing EALI progressed, while the progression rate was 14.8% in the steroid group (P<0.001). The length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the steroid group compared to the control group (P<0.001), but the incidence of poor incision healing was not (P>0.05). Conclusion Early use of corticosteroids cannot reduce the incidence and severity of EALI on POD1, but it can reduce the incidence of EALI on POD3/4 and decrease the risk of radiological progression, and also lower the overall risk of EALI after surgery, without extended postoperative hospital stays or increased incidence of poor incision healing. Therefore, early postoperative use of low-dose corticosteroids can help to inhibit the occurrence and progression of EALI. It is suggested to use as early as possible especially in patients with high risks of postoperative EALI.