ObjectiveTo analyze the operation outcomes and learning curve of uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).MethodsAll consecutive patients who underwent uniportal VATS between November 2018 and December 2020 in Shangjin Branch of West China Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively enrolled, including 62 males and 86 females with a mean age of 50.1±13.4 years. Operations included lobectomy, segmentectomy, wedge resection, mediastinal mass resection and hemopneumothorax. Accordingly, patients' clinical features in different phases were collected and compared to determine the outcome difference and learning curve for uniportal VATS.ResultsMedian postoperative hospital stay was 5 days, and the overall complication rate was 8.1% (12/148). There was no 30-day death after surgery or readmissions. Median postoperative pain score was 3. Over time, the operation time, incision length and blood loss were optimized in the uniportal VATS lobectomy, the incision length and blood loss increased in the uniportal VATS segmentectomy, and the postoperative hospital stay decreased in the uniportal VATS wedge resection.ConclusionUniportal VATS is safe and feasible for both standard and complex pulmonary resections. While, no remarkable learning curve for uniportal VATS lobectomy is observed for experienced surgeon.
ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of lung subsegmentectomy and segmentectomy in the treatment of small pulmonary nodules. MethodsComputer searches were conducted on PubMed, The Cochrane Library, EMbase, Scopus, Web of Science, SinoMed, Wanfang Data, VIP, and CNKI databases to collect relevant literature on the short-term efficacy and safety of lung subsegmentectomy and segmentectomy for small pulmonary nodules from the inception to April 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted data according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality of the selected literature. ResultsA total of 15 retrospective cohort studies with 2417 patients were included, among whom 796 patients underwent lung subsegmentectomy and 1621patients underwent segmentectomy. The NOS scores of the included literature were all≥6 points. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with segmentectomy, lung subsegmentectomy had a lower overall postoperative complication rate [OR=0.54, 95%CI (0.39, 0.75), P<0.01] and fewer lymph nodes dissected [MD=−0.43, 95%CI (−0.81, −0.06), P=0.02]. There was no statistical difference between the two surgical methods in terms of operation time [MD=5.11, 95%CI (−4.02, 14.23), P=0.27], intraoperative blood loss [MD=−14.62, 95%CI (−29.58, 0.34), P=0.06], postoperative hospital stay [MD=−0.24, 95%CI (−0.49, 0.01), P=0.06], postoperative drainage time [MD=−0.14, 95%CI (−0.46, 0.18), P=0.40], intraoperative margin width [MD=0.10, 95%CI (−0.16, 0.35), P=0.46], or recurrence rate [OR=1.57, 95%CI (0.53, 4.61), P=0.42]. Subgroup analysis results showed that when using uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy for surgery, compared with segmentectomy, lung subsegmentectomy had less intraoperative blood loss [MD=−15.57, 95%CI (−28.84, −2.30), P=0.02], shorter postoperative hospital stay [MD=−0.49, 95%CI (−0.63, −0.35), P<0.01], shorter postoperative drainage time [MD=−0.19, 95%CI (−0.35, −0.03), P=0.02], and lower overall complication rate [OR=0.55, 95%CI (0.31, 0.98), P=0.04]. ConclusionLung subsegmentectomy can achieve similar efficacy as segmentectomy and has a lower overall postoperative complication rate. In terms of safety, lung subsegmentectomy can achieve a margin range close to that of segmentectomy. When performing uniportal thoracoscopic surgery, lung subsegmentectomy has advantages over segmentectomy in terms of intraoperative blood loss, postoperative hospital stay, and drainage time.
ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors for complications after robotic segmentectomy.MethodsClinical data of 207 patients undergoing robot-assisted anatomical segmentectomy in our hospital from June 2015 to July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 69 males and 138 females with a median age of 54.0 years. The relationship between clinicopathological factors and prolonged air leakage, pleural effusion, and pulmonary infection after surgery was analyzed.ResultsAfter robot-assisted segmentectomy, 20 (9.7%) patients developed prolonged air leakage (>5 d), 17 (8.2%) patients developed pleural effusion, and 4 (1.9%) patients developed pulmonary infection. Univariate logistic regression showed that body mass index (BMI, P=0.018), FEV1% (P=0.024), number of N1 lymph nodes resection (P=0.008) were related to prolonged air leakage after robot-assisted segmentectomy. Benign lesion was a risk factor for pleural effusion (P=0.013). The number of lymph node sampling stations was significantly related to the incidence of pulmonary infection (P=0.035). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the BMI (OR=0.73, P=0.012) and N1 lymph node sampling (OR=1.38, P=0.001) had a negative and positive relationship with prolonged air leakage after robot-assisted segmentectomy, respectively.ConclusionThe incidence of pulmonary complications after robot-assisted segmentectomy is low. The lower BMI and more N1 lymph node sampling is, the greater probability of prolonged air leakage is. Benign lesions and more lymph node sampling stations are risk factors for pleural effusion and lung infection, respectively. Attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of perioperative complications for patients with such risk factors.
ObjectiveTo analyze the learning curve of Da Vinci robotic segmentectomy. MethodsCumulative sum analysis (CUSUM) was used to analyze the learning curve of Da Vinci robotic segmentectomy performed by the General Hospital of Northern Theater Command from February 2018 to December 2020. The learning curve was obtained by fitting, and R2 was used to judge the goodness of fitting. The clinical data of patients in different stages of learning curve were compared and analyzed. Results The first 50 patients who received Da Vinci robotic segmentectomy were included, including 24 males and 26 females, with an average age of 61.9±10.6 years. The operation time decreased gradually with the accumulation of operation patients. The goodness of fitting coefficient reached the maximum value when R2=0.907 (P<0.001), CUSUM (n) =0.009×n3−0.953×n2+24.968×n−7.033 (n was the number of patients). The fitting curve achieved vertex crossing when the number of patients reached 17. Based on this, 50 patients were divided into two stages: a learning and improving stage and a mastering stage. There were statistical differences in the operation time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage volume, number of lymph node dissection, postoperative catheter time, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications between the two stages (P<0.05). ConclusionIt shows that the technical competency for assuring feasible perioperative outcomes can be achieved when the cumulative number of surgical patients reaches 17.
Objective To investigate whether 3D-guided cone-shaped segmentectomy can achieve comparable long-term outcomes with lobectomy for deep early-stage lung cancer with diameter≤2 cm. Methods We retrospectively screened patients with deep early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with diameter≤2 cm who underwent lobectomy or segmentectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2012 to 2018. All pulmonary segmentectomy was performed using 3D-guided cone-shaped segmentectomy with segment or subsegment as the resection unit. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed by Cox proportional hazard regression model. The patients who underwent segmentectomy and lobectomy were matched 1∶1 by propensity-score matching analysis. The oncological outcomes of two groups were compared. ResultsOur cohort was divided into a segmentectomy group (n=222) and a lobectomy group (n=127). The age, total nodule size, solid component size and proportion of pure solid nodule in the lobectomy group were significantly higher than those in the segmentectomy group. The median follow-up time was 49 months. Surgical margins were negative in all patients. The local recurrence rate of segmentectomy was 0.45%. The disease-free survival (DFS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate of patients in the segmentectomy group were significantly better than those in the lobectomy group (5-year DFS rate: 98.64% vs. 89.77%, P<0.001; 5-year OS rate: 99.55% vs. 92.10%, P<0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the differences between two groups were not significant [DFS rate: HR=0.52. 95%CI (0.11, 2.59), P=0.427; OS rate: HR=0.08. 95%CI (0.00, 3.24), P=0.179] after adjusting for other factors. After propensity score matching, 77 patients were preserved in both segmentectomy group and lobectomy group, with the mean nodule size of 1.44 cm and 1.49 cm and the mean consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) of 0.46 and 0.52, respectively. There was no statistical difference in DFS rate (P=0.640) or OS rate (P=0.310) between the two groups. Conclusion3D-guided cone-shaped segmentectomy can be an acceptable treatment for low-grade malignant NSCLC deep in lung parenchyma with diameter≤2 cm, and its oncology effect is not inferior to lobectomy.
As the incidence of lung cancer continues to rise, segmentectomy has emerged as a favored surgical technique for treating selective early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients, gaining increasing support from thoracic surgery specialists. However, there remains a deficiency in clinical guidance concerning indications and other related aspects for segmentectomy. In April 2023, a collaborative effort among 15 Asia thoracic surgery experts led to the publication of the "Asian expert consensus on segmentectomy in non-small cell lung cancer: A modified Delphi study". This study presents a total of 36 expert consensus agreements across three aspects: patient indications, surgical approaches, lymph node assessment, outlining key principles of them. This paper intends to provide a brief interpretation of these consensuses for the reference of colleagues in clinical practice.
Lobectomy is the standard surgical procedure of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Based on parenchymal-sparing advantage, better postoperative lung function, rapid recovery and less invasiveness, segmentectomy has been widely used in early peripheral non-small cell carcinoma in recent years. But there was no randomized clinical trials confirming survival benefit of segmentectomy. Led by Asamura, the Japanese Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG) has conducted a series of studies on this topic. Ever since the presentation at the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Thoracic Surgeons (AATS) in 2021, the results of JCOG0802/WJOG4607l have triggered massive debate. This study was aimed at determining whether segmentectomy was non-inferior to lobectomy in overall survival in patients with early peripheral NSCLC (tumor diameter≤2 cm and consolidation tumor ratio>0.5), and the results were published in The Lancet on 22 April 2022. The 5-year overall survival rate was higher in the segmentectomy group than that in the lobectomy group, despite a higher rate of local recurrence, suggesting that segmentectomy should be the standard surgical procedure for those patients. Results of this study provide high-level evidence-based medicine evidence for the safety and effectiveness of segmentectomy, and are expected to promote the application of segmentectomy in those patients or even more other patient populations. However, due to the increased local recurrence rate and unsatisfactory postoperative lung function, there are still problems to be solved to make segmentectomy a standard surgical procedure. This paper interprets this study, discusses its instructiveness in clinical practice and summarizes its limitations.
Objective To share the clinical experience of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic basal segmentectomy by single-direction method. Methods The clinical data of 352 patients who underwent VATS anatomic basal segmentectomy in West China Hospital between April 2015 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed, including 96 males and 256 females with a median age of 50 (range, 26-81) years. All basal segmentectomies were performed under thoracoscopy, through the interlobar fissure or inferior pulmonary ligament approach, and following the strategy of single-direction and the method of "stem-branch". ResultsAll patients underwent basal segmentectomy successfully (49 patients of uniportal procedure, 3 patients of biportal procedure and 300 patients of triportal procedure) without addition of incisions or conversion to thoracotomy and lobectomy. The median operation time was 118 (range, 45-340) min, median intraoperative blood loss was 20 (range, 5-500) mL, median drainage time was 2 (range, 1-22) d and median postoperative hospital stay was 4 (range, 2-24) d. The postoperative complications included pneumonia in 6 patients, prolonged drainage (air leakage duration＞5 d or drainage duration＞7 d) in 18 patients, cerebral infarction in 1 patient and other complications in 2 patients. All patients were treated well and discharged without main complaints. No perioperative death happened. ConclusionVATS anatomic basal segmentectomy is feasible and safe. It can be performed in a simple manner following the strategy of single-direction.
ObjectiveTo investigate the changes in pulmonary function after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) segmentectomy.MethodsA total of 59 patients (30 males and 29 females) who underwent segmentectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July to October 2017 were included. There were 33 patients (18 males and 15 females) in the VATS group and 26 patients (12 males and 14 females) in the RATS group. Lung function tests were performed before surgery, 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after surgery. Intra- and inter-group comparisons of lung function retention values were performed between the two groups of patients to analyze differences in lung function retention after VATS and RATS segmentectomy.ResultsThe forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) in the VATS group and the RATS group were significantly lower than those before surgery (P<0.05), and they increased significantly within 6 months after surgery (P<0.05). The recovery was not obvious after 6 months (P>0.05), and they were still lower than those before surgery. In addition, the retentions of FEV1 and FVC in the VATS group and the RATS group were similar in 1 month, 6 months, and 12 months after operation with no statistical difference(P>0.05). ConclusionPulmonary function decreases significantly in 1 month after minimally invasive segmentectomy, and the recovery is obvious in 6 months after the operation, then the pulmonary function recovery gradually stabilizes 12 months after surgery. FEV1 of the patients in the two groups recovers to 93% and 94%, respectively. There is no statistical difference in pulmonary function retention after VATS and RATS segmentectomy.