Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus other video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy techniques: a randomized study.

OBJECTIVES: A prospective, randomized study was carried out on patients undergoing lung cancer surgery, with the aim of determining if uniportal video-assisted lobectomy has more favourable postoperative outcomes than other video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy techniques (Duke approach and Copenhagen approach).

METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned to two groups; uniportal video-assisted lobectomy (Group A; n = 51) and other video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy techniques (Group B; n = 55). The primary outcome measures were: postoperative pain (analogue visual scale) and supplementary doses of analgesics (morphine, milligrams); the secondary outcome measures were: the delay in removing the paravertebral catheter and the chest drain, the duration of the postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications and the operative or 30-day mortality. We assessed postoperative pain during the first 3 days to identify possible differences coinciding with paravertebral catheter removal and with the start of mobilization, and we evaluated the type of resection, R0/R1 (a very important factor in assessing postoperative pain). All continuous data were evaluated for normality, and analysed with the Mann-Whitney U-tests or t-tests. Categorical data were analysed by Fisher's exact test.

RESULTS: One hundred and six lobectomies were completed. Both groups were comparable with respect to different clinical parameters (age, clinical stage and comorbidity), preoperative and pathological variables. The median visual analogue pain score in the first 3 days did not show statistically significant differences (respectively, P = 0.58, P = 0.64, P = 0.85). Likewise, the median morphine use in the first 3 days did not show statistically significant differences (respectively, P = 0.72, P = 0.81, P = 0.64). There was no difference in timing to remove the paravertebral catheter (P = 0.82) and the chest drain (P = 0.65) and the duration of the postoperative hospital stay (P = 0.62). There was no difference in postoperative complications (one reoperation for bleeding in Group B, P = 0.24). There was no operative or 30-day mortality in either group.

CONCLUSIONS: Uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy does not present better postoperative outcomes than other video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy techniques.