• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.184-189
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• 2017

Background: The benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) have been demonstrated over the past decades; as a result, VATS has become the gold-standard treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Due to improvements in surgical technique and equipment, single-port VATS (s-VATS) is emerging as an alternative approach to conventional three-port VATS (t-VATS). The aim of this study was to evaluate s-VATS as a treatment for PSP by comparing operative outcomes and recurrence rates for s-VATS versus t-VATS. Methods: Between March 2013 and December 2015, VATS for PSP was performed in 146 patients in Kyungpook National University Hospital. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of these patients. Results: The mean follow-up duration was $13.4{\pm}6.5$ months in the s-VATS group and $28.7{\pm}3.9$ months in the t-VATS group. Operative time (p<0.001), the number of staples used for the operation (p=0.001), duration of drainage (p=0.001), and duration of the postoperative stay (p<0.001) were significantly lower in the s-VATS group than in the t-VATS group. There was no difference in the overall recurrence-free survival rate between the s-VATS and t-VATS groups. Conclusion: No significant differences in operative outcomes and recurrence rates were found between s-VATS and t-VATS for PSP. Therefore, we cautiously suggest that s-VATS may be an appropriate alternative to t-VATS in the treatment of PSP.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제54권4호
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• pp.253-257
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• 2021

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for lobectomy or segmentectomy is considered a favorable alternative to thoracotomy because of its usefulness and safety; it reduces postoperative pain, lowers morbidity, and shortens the hospital stay. However, despite these advantages of VATS, it has been difficult to perform VATS pneumonectomy due to the high morbidity and mortality rate of pneumonectomy. Recently, as VATS techniques have been developed and the usefulness of VATS pneumonectomy has continued to be reported, the frequency of VATS pneumonectomy is gradually increasing at large-volume centers. This article describes VATS pneumonectomy with a focus on the surgical technique.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.166-170
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• 2012

(VATS) lobectomy to junior surgeons, and to review the first year experience of a new surgeon performing VATS lobectomies who had not performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted during his training period. Materials and Methods: A young surgeon opened a division of general thoracic surgery at a medical institution. The surgeon had performed about 100 lobectomies via conventional thoracotomy during his training period, but had never performed a VATS lobectomy unassisted while under the supervision of an expert. After opening the division of general thoracic surgery, the surgeon performed a total of 38 pulmonary lobectomies for various pulmonary diseases from March 2009 to February 2010. All data were collected retrospectively. Results: There were 14 lobectomies via thoracotomy, 14 VATS lobectomies, and 10 cases of attempted VATS lobectomies that were converted to open thoracotomies. The number of VATS lobectomies increased from the second quarter (n=0) to the third quarter (n=5). The lobectomies that were converted from VATS into thoracotomies decreased from the second quarter (n=5) to the third quarter (n=1) (p=0.002). Conclusion: It can take 6 months for young surgeons without experience in VATS lobectomy in their training period to be able to reliably perform a VATS lobectomy.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.387-392
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• 2015

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of secondary spontaneous pneumothorax (SSP). Methods: Twenty-four patients who were scheduled to undergo single-port VATS for SSP were studied. The medical records of the patients were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up duration was $26.1{\pm}19.8$ months. In order to evaluate the feasibility of single-port VATS for SSP, the postoperative results of single-port VATS (n=15) in patients with emphysema were compared with those of emphysematous patients who underwent three-port VATS (n=15) during the study period. Results: Single-port VATS was feasible in 19 of 24 patients (79.2%), while an additional port was needed in five patients. In the single-port VATS patients, the median operation time, duration of chest tube drainage, and hospital stay were 84.0 minutes, one day, and two days, respectively. Postoperative complications included prolonged chest tube drainage for more than five days (n=1), wound infection (n=1), and vocal fold palsy (n=1). No recurrence of pneumothorax was observed during the follow-up period. The median operation time, duration of chest tube drainage, and hospital stay of the emphysematous patients who underwent single-port VATS were shorter than those who underwent three-port VATS group (p<0.05 for all parameters). Conclusion: Single-port VATS proved to be a feasible procedure in the treatment of patients with secondary spontaneous pneumothorax.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.384-388
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• 2014

Background: Recently, single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been proposed as an alternative to the conventional three-port VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the early outcomes of the single-port VATS for PSP. Methods: VATS was performed for PSP in 52 patients from March 2012 to March 2013. We reviewed the medical records of these 52 patients, retrospectively. Nineteen patients underwent the conventional three-port VATS (three-port group) and 33 patients underwent the single-port VATS (single-port group). Both groups were compared according to the operation time, number of wedge resections, amount of chest tube drainage during the first 24 hours after surgery, length of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain score, and postoperative paresthesia. Results: There was no difference in patient characteristics between the two groups. There was no difference in the number of wedge resections, operation time, or amount of drainage between the two groups. The mean lengths of chest tube drainage and hospital stay were shorter in the single-port group than in the three-port group. Further, there was less postoperative pain and paresthesia in the single-port group than in the three-port group. These differences were statistically significant. The mean size of the surgical wound was 2.10 cm (range, 1.6 to 3.0 cm) in the single-port group. Conclusion: Single-port VATS for PSP had many advantages in terms of the lengths of chest tube drainage and hospital stay, postoperative pain, and paresthesia. Single-port VATS is a feasible technique for PSP as an alternative to the conventional three-port VATS in well-selected patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제38권9호
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• pp.627-632
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• 2005

배경: 2mm 흉강경을 이용한 기흉의 수술은 정확성과 수술 후 재발률에 대한 신뢰가 부족한 실정이다. 원발성 자연기흉의 치료에서 2mm 흉강경과 10mm 흉강경의 수술 결과를 비교하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1998년 9원부터 2002년 12월 까지 고려대학교 안산병원에서 원발성 자연 기흉으로 기낭 정제술울 시행한 176예(10mm 흉강경 수술군 73예, 2mm 흉강경 수술군 103예)를 연구 대상으로 하였다. 10mm군은 10mm 흉강경, 5mm 포트를 통한 흉강경 기구, 2mm군은 2mm 포트를 통한 흉강경과 기구를 사용하였다. 결과: 두 군에서 추적 관찰기관은 10mm군이 20,8$\pm$16.1 개월, 2mm군은 13.9 $\pm$8.2개월 이였다. 수술 적응증은 10mm군에서는 재발성 기흉이 25예($34\%$), 2mm군에서는 환자가 원한 경우가 42예($40\%$)로 가장 많았다. 수술 시간, 사용한 자동 봉합기의 수, 술 후 흉관 거치일, 술 후 총 배액량, 술 후 재원일, 합병증 등에서 2mm군이 10mm군에 비하여 적었으며, 이 중 통계적으로 유의한 것은 수술 시간, 사용한 자동 봉합기의 수, 술 후 총 배액량, 술 후 재원일 등이었다. 수술 시간에 영향을 미치는 인자에 관한 회귀 분석에서 자동 봉합기의 사용개수, 늑막유착의 유무, 수술 시 늑막유착술 시행여부, 사용한 흉강경의 종류 등이 통계적으로 유의한 인자로 분석되었으나 $R^2$ 값은 모두 0.1 이하였다. 술 후 재발율은 10mm군에서는 총 73예 중 2예($2.7\%$), 2mm군에서는 총 103예 중 3예($2.9\%$)로 재발율의 차이는 통계적으로 유의성은 없었다. 재발율의 생명표 분석에서는 두 군 모두 수술후 1년 이내에 재발아였으며 재발률에 큰 차이가 없었다. 결론: 두 군 간에 추적 기간의 차이는 있었지만, 수술 시간, 사용한 자동 봉합기의 수, 술 후 총 배액량, 술 후 재원일에 있어서 2mm 흉강경군에서 의미있게 낮게 나타났다. 또한, 2mm 흉강경 사용 시, 좁은 시야에서도 불구하고 수술 중 기술적 어려움은 없었으며 술 후 재발률에도 10mm 흉강경과 차이는 없었다. 따라서 원발성 자연 기흉 환자의 수술방법으로 2mm 흉강경이 적용될 수 있으리라 생각된다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.299-301
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• 2013

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive technique that has many advantages in postoperative pain and recovery time. Because of its advantages, VATS is one of the surgical techniques widely used in patients with lung cancer. Most surgeons perform VATS for lung cancer with three or more incisions. As the technique of VATS has evolved, single-port VATS for lung cancer has been attempted and its advantages have been reported. We describe our experiences of VATS for lung cancer with a single incision in this report.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제50권4호
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• pp.275-280
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• 2017

Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) anatomic lung resections are gradually becoming the standard surgical approach in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The technique is being applied in cases of larger tumors depending on the experience of the surgical team. The objective of this study was to compare early surgical and survival outcomes in patients undergoing anatomic pulmonary resections using VATS and thoracotomy techniques for clinical T2 NSCLC during the adaptation period of the surgical team to the VATS approach. Methods: The data of all patients who underwent anatomic pulmonary resection for NSCLC using VATS and open techniques since April 2012 were recorded to create a prospective lung cancer database. Clinical T2 NSCLC patients who underwent VATS anatomic lung resection were identified and compared with cT2 patients who underwent open resection. Results: Between April 2012 and August 2014, 269 anatomical resections for NSCLC were performed (80 VATS and 189 thoracotomy). Thirty-four VATS patients who had clinical T2 disease were identified and stage-matched to thoracotomy patients. The average tumor diameter was comparable ($34.2{\pm}11.1{\times}29.8{\pm}10.1mm$ vs. $32.3{\pm}9.8{\times}32.5{\pm}12.2mm$, p=0.4). Major complications were higher in the thoracotomy group (n=0 vs. n=5, p=0.053). There was no 30-day mortality, and the 2-year survival rate was 91% for VATS and 82% for thoracotomy patients (p=0.4). Conclusion: VATS anatomic resections in clinical T2 NSCLC tumors are safe and have perioperative and pathologic outcomes similar to those of thoracotomy, while remaining within the learning curve.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.447-450
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• 2012

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been recommended as more optimal surgical technique than traditional thoracotomy for lobectomy in lung cancer, but it is not well defined. Here, we compared VATS and traditional thoracotomy based on clinical data. From November 2008 to November 2010, 180 patients underwent lobectomy for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCL) identified by computerized tomography. Of them, 83 cases were performed with VATS and 97 by thoracotomy. Clinical parameters, consisting of blood loss, operating time, number of lymph node dissection, days of pleural cavity drainage, and length of stay were recorded and evaluated with t test. No significant difference was observed between the VATS and thoracotomy groups in the average intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph node dissections, and days of pleural cavity drainage. While the average operating time in the VATS group was significantly longer than that in thoracotomy group, recurrence was only present in one case, as opposed to 7 cases in the thoracotomy group In conclusion, similar therapeutic effects were demonstrated in VATS and thoracotomy for NSCL. However, VATS lobectomy was associated with fewer complications, recurrence and shorter length of stay.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.170-174
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• 2010

Purpose: As techniques and instruments for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) have been evolving, attempts to perform VATS for chest trauma have been increasing. Several studies have demonstrated the feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. We reviewed our experience to evaluate the clinical feasibility and safety of VATS for thoracic trauma. Methods: Fifty-two patients underwent thoracic surgery for chest trauma in Asan Medical Center from January 1990 to December 2009. VATS was performed in 21 patients who showed stable vital signs. We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of those patients to investigate the results of VATS for thoracic trauma. Results: Thoracic exploration for chest trauma was performed in 52 patients. There were 46 males (88.5%) and 6 females (11.5%). The median age was 46.0 years (range: 11~81 years). There were 39 blunt and 13 penetrating traumas. A standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed in 31 patients, and VATS was tried in 21 patients. We performed successful VATS in 13 patients; 11 males (84.5%) and 2 females (15.5%) with a median age of 46.0 years (range: 24~75 years). The indication of VATS was persistent intrathoracic hemorrhage in 10 patients and clotted hemothorax in 3 patients. There were no complications, but there were two mortalities due to multiple organ failure after massive transfusion. In 8 patients, VATS was converted to a standard posterolateral thoracotomy for several reasons. The reason was inadequate visualization for bleeding control or evacuation of the hematoma in 5 patients. In 3 patients, VATS was performed to evaluate diaphragmatic injury. After the diaphragmatic injury had been confirmed, a standard posterolateral thoracotomy was performed to repair the diaphragm. Conclusion: VATS should be safe and efficient method for diagnostic evaluation and surgical management of stable patients with thoracic trauma.