Radical hybrid video-assisted thoracic segmentectomy: long-term results of minimally invasive anatomical sublobar resection for treating lung cancer

We analysed the results of radical segmentectomy achieved through a hybrid video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approach that used both direct vision and television monitor visualization at a median follow-up of over 5 years. Between April 2004 and October 2010, 102 consecutive patients able to tolerate lobectomy to treat clinical T1N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) underwent hybrid VATS segmentectomy in which we used electrocautery without a stapler to divide the intersegmental plane detected by selective jet ventilation in addition to the path of the intersegmental veins. Curative resection was achieved in all patients. The median surgical duration and blood loss during the surgery were 129 min (range, 60–275 min) and 50 ml (range, 10–350 ml), respectively. The complication rate was 9.8% (10/102) with the most frequent being prolonged air leak, and there was no case of in-hospital death or 30-day mortality post procedure. Five and seven patients developed locoregional and distant recurrences, respectively. The overall and disease-free 5-year survival rates were 89.8% and 84.7%, respectively. Radical hybrid VATS segmentectomy including atypical resection of (sub)segments is a useful option for clinical stage-I NSCLC. The exact identification of anatomical intersegmental plane followed by dissection using electrocautery is critical from oncological and functional perspectives.