Background: Lung cancer often requires pneumonectomy. This procedure is challenging and usually performed by thoracotomy, which is traumatic and may involve complications. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is a recognized procedure that has been accepted by surgeons. There is no standard procedure to perform a pneumonectomy using VATS. The aim of this paper is to share our experiences and to show our technique for performing a pneumonectomy using VATS.
Methods: A 65-year-old man was admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. A thoracic computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a 56 mm × 45 mm × 40 mm lesion in the left upper lung lobe. Lesions involving the left lower lung lobe were also identified and the subcarinal and hilar lymph nodes were enlarged. A VATS pneumonectomy was performed.
Results: The total surgery time was approximately 90 min, the intraoperative blood loss was 100 mL, the number of resected lymph nodes was 15; and the postoperative hospital stay was 8 days. Follow-up revealed no recurrence or metastasis for 6 months.
Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracoscopic pneumonectomy is a safe and effective treatment procedure.
Keywords: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); lung cancer; pneumonectomy.