Pulmonary Function After Lobectomy: Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Versus Muscle-Sparing Mini-thoracotomy

Although pulmonary function was better after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy than after open thoracotomy lobectomy, it is unclear whether postoperative pulmonary function after VATS lobectomy is better than that after mini-thoracotomy lobectomy. The aim of this study is to determine whether the former is better than the latter. VATS lobectomies were performed using endoscopic techniques through a 3-4-cm skin incision spread by a silicon rubber retractor and two or three trocars. Mini-thoracotomy lobectomies were performed through a 7-12-cm skin incision spread by rib retractors made of metal and one or two trocars. Pulmonary function tests were performed a week before surgery and 3 months after surgery. There were 14 males and 11 females in VATS lobectomy and 32 males and 30 females in mini-thoracotomy lobectomy. For lobe location (right upper/right lower/left upper/left lower), there were 12/1/8/4 in VATS lobectomy and 16/19/13/14 in mini-thoracotomy lobectomy, respectively. The percent predicted postoperative forced vital capacity (FVC) (postoperative FVC/predicted postoperative FVC x 100) (110 +/- 15 %) of VATS lobectomy was significantly higher than that (101 +/- 16 %) of mini-thoracotomy lobectomy (P = 0.0124). The percent predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (postoperative FEV1/predicted postoperative FEV1 x 100) (110 +/- 15 %) of VATS lobectomy was not significantly higher than that (104 +/- 15 %) of mini-thoracotomy lobectomy (P = 0.091). Multiple regression analysis revealed that operative procedure (VATS lobectomy or mini-thoracotomy lobectomy) was the only significant variable contributing to percent predicted postoperative FVC (P = 0.0073) and percent predicted postoperative FEV1 (P = 0.0180). Postoperative FVC after VATS lobectomy is better than after mini-thoracotomy lobectomy.