Single-center experience of simultaneous bilateral uni-portal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for multiple ground-glass opacities

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing incidence rate of ground-glass opacity (GGO), especially for multiple GGOs (≥2). Whether it is safe and feasible to have bilateral simultaneous surgical resection remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to summarize the experience of surgical resection of patients with multiple GGOs in our Hospital in recent years, and to discuss the above questions. METHODS: Clinical datas of patients who underwent one-stage bilateral uni-portal VATS resections of multiple pulmonary ground glass opacities and had routine pathological examination were collected from May 2016 to May 2019 in our hospital. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients underwent simultaneous bilateral surgical resection of multiple GGO lesions, 28 were women,6 were men, the average age of total patients was 57.9 ± 6.7 years. All patients underwent bilateral uni-portal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (Uni-portal VATS), the average intraoperative blood loss was 100.9 ± 67.7 ml, the average operation time was 140 ± 74.8 min, the average thoracic drainage time was 2.8 ± 3.1 days, and the average postoperative hospital stay was 4.2 ± 4.3 days. Postoperative complications including: 2 cases of infection, 3 cases of atrial fibrillation, and 5 cases of persistent air leakage for more than 3 days. All of them improved after treatment, and there were no serious complications and deaths in perioperative period. A total of 76 GGO lesions were resected, with a total malignancy rate of 81.6%, including 40 were pure GGO, of which 28 were malignant (70%), and the average diameter of them were 9.6 ± 3.8 mm; 36 were mixed GGO, of which 34 were malignant (94.4%), the average diameter of them were 15.6 ± 6.6 mm.Mean postoperative follow-up was 28.4 (range, 3–39) months. There was neither recurrence nor deaths at final follow-up. CONCLUSION: The malignancy rate of multiple GGOs is high. Therefore, when the lung function is allowed,one-stage bilateral uni-portal VATS can be considered. According to experience of main surgeon and the frozen biopsy, either sub-lobar resection or lobectomy was acceptable. The risk of postoperative complications and the prognosis were optimal.