A single institution experience using the LigaSure vessel sealing system in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax

This study sought to report our 6-year experience with the LigaSure vessel sealing system (LVSS) in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. A series of 180 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were operated on in our institution from May 2005 to December 2010. Intraoperatively, large lesions (bullae or blebs) with a diameter more than 2 cm were resected by staplers, and the residual lesions were treated by LVSS. LVSS was also used to ablate the apical area when no lesions were found. Conventional apical pleural abrasion was done in all cases. All patients were successfully treated using VATS with minimal perioperative bleeding. The mean operating time was 76 minutes (range, 43–160 minutes) for single-side procedures and 169 minutes (range, 135–195 minutes) for bilateral procedures, the mean number of applied staples was 1.93 per patient (range, 0–8 days), the duration of drainage was 3.8 days (range, 2–15 days), and the duration of hospital stay was 5.8 days (range, 3–16 days). Postoperative complications included persistent air leak (> 5 days) in 11 cases (6.1%) and residual pneumothorax in 6 (3.3%). None required reoperation. The mean duration of follow-up was 57 months (range, 24–105 months). Recurrence was seen in three cases (1.7%), and all underwent another operation thereafter. None of the lesions in the relapse cases received ablation with LVSS in the first operation. LVSS can optimize VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax and reduces the use of single-use staples. The method is safe, easy to use, and cost-effective and produces satisfactory results.