The objective of this study was to compare outcomes after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy or segmentectomy before and after introduction of an enhanced recovery program.
Data from 600 patients ...undergoing video-assisted lobectomy or segmentectomy between April 2014 and January 2017 were analyzed. A comparative analysis was performed between patients undergoing operation before (365 patients) and after (235 patients) the start of the enhanced recovery program. The incidence of cardiopulmonary complications and 30-day and 90-day mortality, postoperative length of stay, and 30-day and 90-day hospital readmission rates were evaluated. Risk-adjusted cardiopulmonary morbidity and 30-day mortality were calculated for each group and compared.
The 2 groups had a similar postoperative length of stay (enhanced recovery pathway median 5 days vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 4, P = .44), cardiopulmonary complication rates (enhanced recovery pathway 22.6% vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 22.4%, P = .98), 30-day mortality rates (enhanced recovery pathway 3.8% vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 2.2%, P = .31), and 90-day mortality rates (enhanced recovery pathway 4.7% vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 3.0%, P = .37). No differences were noted in terms of 30-day (enhanced recovery pathway 7.2% vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 7.4%, P = .94) or 90-day readmission rates (enhanced recovery pathway 9.8% vs pre–enhanced recovery pathway 12.3%, P = .34). The risk-adjusted cardiopulmonary morbidity rates were similar in the 2 periods (P = .76), whereas the risk-adjusted 30-day mortality was higher in the enhanced recovery pathway period compared with the pre–enhanced recovery pathway mortality (P = .0004).
We found no benefit conferred by the enhanced recovery program on outcomes such as cardiopulmonary complications, 30- and 90-day mortality, length of stay, and readmissions. Enhanced recovery program elements may be insufficiently different than previous standards of perioperative care to confer detectable benefits in our settings.
The European Society of Thoracic Surgery (ESTS) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) general thoracic surgery databases collect thoracic surgical data from Europe and North America, ...respectively. Their objectives are similar: to measure processes and outcomes so as to improve the quality of thoracic surgical care. Future collaboration between the two databases and their integration could generate significant new knowledge. However, important discrepancies exist in terminology and definitions between the two databases. The objective of this collaboration between the ESTS and STS is to identify important differences between databases and harmonize terminology and definitions to facilitate future endeavors.
Purpose The efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) plus surgery for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains controversial. In this trial, we compared the survival ...and safety of NCRT plus surgery with surgery alone in patients with locally advanced ESCC. Patients and Methods From June 2007 to December 2014, 451 patients with potentially resectable thoracic ESCC, clinically staged as T1-4N1M0/T4N0M0, were randomly allocated to NCRT plus surgery (group CRT; n = 224) and surgery alone (group S; n = 227). In group CRT, patients received vinorelbine 25 mg/m
intravenously (IV) on days 1 and 8 and cisplatin 75 mg/m
IV day 1, or 25 mg/m
IV on days 1 to 4 every 3 weeks for two cycles, with a total concurrent radiation dose of 40.0 Gy administered in 20 fractions of 2.0 Gy on 5 days per week. In both groups, patients underwent McKeown or Ivor Lewis esophagectomy. The primary end point was overall survival. Results The pathologic complete response rate was 43.2% in group CRT. Compared with group S, group CRT had a higher R0 resection rate (98.4% v 91.2%; P = .002), a better median overall survival (100.1 months v 66.5 months; hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.96; P = .025), and a prolonged disease-free survival (100.1 months v 41.7 months; hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.78; P < .001). Leukopenia (48.9%) and neutropenia (45.7%) were the most common grade 3 or 4 adverse events during chemoradiotherapy. Incidences of postoperative complications were similar between groups, with the exception of arrhythmia (group CRT: 13% v group S: 4.0%; P = .001). Peritreatment mortality was 2.2% in group CRT versus 0.4% in group S ( P = .212). Conclusion This trial shows that NCRT plus surgery improves survival over surgery alone among patients with locally advanced ESCC, with acceptable and manageable adverse events.
We evaluated the incidence and risk factors of 90-day mortality rate after video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy.
Retrospective analysis on 733 VATS lobectomies or segmentectomies (January ...2012 to February 2016), including 66 operations converted to open operation. Several patient-related and surgical variables were tested to verify their association with 90-day mortality using univariable and logistic regression analyses. A score was assigned to each variable in the final model by proportionally weighting the regression odds ratios (ORs) and assigning 1 point to the smallest one. A total score was generated for each patient by adding the individual points. The patients were finally grouped into classes of risk.
In-hospital/30-day mortality rate was 1.9% (14 patients). Additionally, 4 patients died after discharge between 30 and 90 days. Total 90-day mortality rate was 2.5% (18 patients). Regression analysis showed that factors significantly associated with 90-day mortality were male sex (OR 12, p = 0.001), carbon monoxide lung diffusion capacity (Dlco) less than 60% (OR 4.8, p =0.001), and operative time longer than 150 minutes (OR 4.2, p = 0.03). A score was developed assigning 1 point to the variables Dlco and operative time and 3 points to the variable male sex. The total score ranged from 0 (155 patients) to 5 points (32 patients). Patients were grouped into five risk classes showing an incremental 90-day mortality rate (class A, 0; class B, 0.38%; class C, 0.93%; class D, 5.65%; class E, 18.75%, p < 0.0001).
Our results represent important information to be shared with the patients during surgical counseling. It can also assist multidisciplinary tumor board discussion about treatment selection.
OBJECTIVES
Video-assisted thoracoscopic anatomical resections are increasingly used in Europe to manage primary lung cancer. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcome following ...thoracoscopic versus open lobectomy in case-matched groups of patients from the European Society of Thoracic Surgeon (ESTS) database.
METHODS
All patients having lobectomy as the primary procedure via thoracoscopy video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS)-L) or thoracotomy (TH-L) were identified in the ESTS database (January 2007 to December 2013). A propensity score was constructed using several patients' baseline characteristics. The matching using the propensity score was responsible for the minimization of selection bias. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed to compare the incidence of postoperative major complications (according to the ESTS database definitions) and mortality at hospital discharge between the matched groups. After exclusions, 28 771 patients were identified: 26 050 having thoracotomy and 2721 having thoracoscopy. Propensity score yielded two well-matched groups of 2721 patients. Numeric variables were compared by Student's t-tests and categorical variables were compared by McNemar's tests.
RESULTS
Compared with TH-L, VATS-L was associated with a lower incidence of total complications n = 792 (29.1%) vs 863 (31.7%), P = 0.0357, major cardiopulmonary complications n = 316 (15.9%) vs 435 (19.6%), P = 0.0094, atelectasis requiring bronchoscopy n = 65 (2.4%) vs 150 (5.5%), P < 0.0001, initial ventilation >48 h n = 18 (0.7%) vs 38 (1.4%), P = 0.0075 and wound infection n = 6 (0.2%) vs 17 (0.6%), P = 0.0218. There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation between the two groups (P = 0.14). Postoperative hospital stay was 2 days shorter in the VATS-L patients (mean: 7.8 vs 9.8 days; P = 0.0003). In terms of outcome at hospital discharge, there were 27 deaths in the VATS-L group (1%) versus 50 in the TH-L group (1.9%, P = 0.0201).
CONCLUSIONS
Data from the ESTS database confirmed that lobectomy performed through VATS is associated with a lower incidence of complications compared with thoracotomy.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the postoperative complications and 30-day mortality rates associated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy before major anatomic lung resections registered in the European ...Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) database.
METHODS
Retrospective analysis on 52 982 anatomic lung resections registered in the ESTS database (July 2007–31 December 2017) (6587 pneumonectomies and 46 395 lobectomies); 5143 patients received neoadjuvant treatment (9.7%) (3993 chemotherapy alone and 1150 chemoradiotherapy). To adjust for possible confounders, a propensity case-matched analysis was performed. The postoperative outcomes (morbidity and 30-day mortality) of matched patients with and without induction treatment were compared.
RESULTS
8.2% of all patients undergoing lobectomies and 20% of all patients undergoing pneumonectomies received induction treatment. Lobectomy analysis: propensity score analysis yielded 3824 pairs of patients with and without induction treatment. The incidence of cardiopulmonary complications was higher in the neoadjuvant group (626 patients, 16% vs 446 patients, 12%, P < 0.001), but 30-day mortality rates were similar (71 patients, 1.9% vs 75 patients, 2.0%, P = 0.73). The incidence of bronchopleural fistula and prolonged air leak >5 days were similar between the 2 groups (neoadjuvant: 0.5% vs 0.4%, P = 0.87; 9.2% vs 9.9%, P = 0.27). Pneumonectomy analysis: propensity score analysis yielded 1312 pairs of patients with and without induction treatment. The incidence of cardiopulmonary complications was higher in the treated patients compared to those without neoadjuvant treatment (neoadjuvant 275 cases, 21% vs 18%, P = 0.030). However, the 30-day mortality was similar between the matched groups (neoadjuvant 68 cases, 5.2% vs 5.3%, P = 0.86). Finally, the incidence of bronchopleural fistula was also similar between the 2 groups (neoadjuvant 1.8% vs 1.4%, P = 0.44).
CONCLUSIONS
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is not associated with an increased perioperative risk after either lobectomy or pneumonectomy, warranting a more liberal use of this approach for patients with locally advanced operable lung cancer.
Abstract Objective The study objective was to develop an aggregate risk score for predicting the occurrence of prolonged air leak after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy from patients registered ...in the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. Methods A total of 5069 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (July 2007 to August 2015) were analyzed. Exclusion criteria included sublobar resections or pneumonectomies, lung resection associated with chest wall or diaphragm resections, sleeve resections, and need for postoperative assisted mechanical ventilation. Prolonged air leak was defined as an air leak more than 5 days. Several baseline and surgical variables were tested for a possible association with prolonged air leak using univariable and logistic regression analyses, determined by bootstrap resampling. Predictors were proportionally weighed according to their regression estimates (assigning 1 point to the smallest coefficient). Results Prolonged air leak was observed in 504 patients (9.9%). Three variables were found associated with prolonged air leak after logistic regression: male gender ( P < .0001, score = 1), forced expiratory volume in 1 second less than 80% ( P < .0001, score = 1), and body mass index less than 18.5 kg/m2 ( P < .0001, score = 2). The aggregate prolonged air leak risk score was calculated for each patient by summing the individual scores assigned to each variable (range, 0-4). Patients were then grouped into 4 classes with an incremental risk of prolonged air leak ( P < .0001): class A (score 0 points, 1493 patients) 6.3% with prolonged air leak, class B (score 1 point, 2240 patients) 10% with prolonged air leak, class C (score 2 points, 1219 patients) 13% with prolonged air leak, and class D (score >2 points, 117 patients) 25% with prolonged air leak. Conclusions An aggregate risk score was created to stratify the incidence of prolonged air leak after video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy. The score can be used for patient counseling and to identify those patients who can benefit from additional intraoperative preventative measures.