Comparison of short-term quality of life in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery versus thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: This study aims to compare the short-term quality of life of patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery versus thoracotomy. METHODS: A total of 96 patients (58 males, 38 females; mean age 58.4±11.7 years; range, 18 to 80 years) who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery or thoracotomy in our hospital between March 2018 and March 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical characteristics and comorbidities of the patients were recorded. Quality of life of the patients was evaluated using the Short Form-36 health survey at the first postoperative month. RESULTS: Of the patients, 43 (44.8%) were treated by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and 53 (55.2%) by thoracotomy. Complications occurred in nine (20.9%) patients following video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and in 12 (22.6%) patients following thoracotomy (p=0.840). At one month postoperatively, the patients in the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery group had a better quality of life than those in the thoracotomy group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that both recovery and short-term quality of life seem to be better in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery than in those treated by thoracotomy.