Transition from three-port vats pulmonary resections to uniportal vats pulmonary resections: a single center experience

Results 10 major pulmonary resections (9 lobectomies and 1 segmentectomy) and 28 wedge resections (7 pneumothorax, 16 lung cancers, 2 interstitial lung disease, 1 hamartoma, 1 tuberculoma, 1 fibrous tumor of pleura) were performed by a single surgeon. With wedge resections, mean postoperative hospital length of stay, chest tube duration, and operative duration were 3 days, 2.07 days, and 69 minutes. With major pulmonary resections, mean postoperative hospital length of stay, chest tube duration, and operative duration were 6 days, 4.2 days, and 169 minutes. There was one conversion to 3-port VATS during wedge resection due to thick pleural adhesion and one conversion to minithoracotomy during right upper lobectomy due to bronchial injury from technical error. There was no postoperative mortality or reoperation. One postoperative air leakage lasting longer than one week was noted after uniportal VATS right upper lobectomy which was resolved without any additional treatment.