Robotic-Assisted, Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic and Open Lobectomy: Propensity-Matched Analysis of Recent Premier Data.

Robotic-assisted lobectomy (RL) is becoming a popular alternative technique to video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy (VL), although open lobectomy (OL) remains the most common approach. The objective of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of perioperative clinical outcomes from elective RL, VL, and OL. The Premier Healthcare Database was analyzed for lobectomies performed from January 1, 2011, to September 30, 2015. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis and procedure codes were used to identify surgical approaches, complications, and mortality. Propensity score matching (1:1) for patient and hospital characteristics allowed comparison of RL versus OL (n = 2,775 each) and RL versus VL (n = 2,951 each). Compared with OL in propensity matched analysis, RL was associated with a lower postoperative complication rate (p < 0.0001), shorter hospital stay (p < 0.0001), and lower mortality rate (p = 0.0282). Patients in the RL group were more likely to be discharged home than to a transitional health care facility (p < 0.0001). Compared with VL, the RL group had a lower conversion rate to thoracotomy (p < 0.0001), lower overall postoperative complication rate (p = 0.0061), and shorter hospital stay (p = 0.006). The RL patients also were more likely to be discharged home than to a transitional health care facility (p = 0.0108). The postoperative mortality rates of RL and VL were similar (p = 0.44). There was no difference in iatrogenic injuries when comparing RL with OL and RL with VL (p = 0.1284 and p = 0.5477, respectively). Robotic-assisted lobectomy was associated with improved outcomes for certain perioperative clinical variables, including shorter length of stay and lower complication rates. It was also was associated with a lower conversion rate to OL compared with VL.

Oh DS ，Reddy RM ，Gorrepati ML ，Mehendale S ，Reed MF ... -  《-》

Robotic-Assisted Versus Thoracoscopic Lobectomy Outcomes From High-Volume Thoracic Surgeons.

Reports of surgical outcomes comparing proficient surgeons who perform either robotic-assisted or video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy are lacking. We evaluate the comparative effectiveness of robotic-assisted and video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomies by surgeons who performed 20 or more annual surgical procedures in a national database. Patients 18 years or older, who underwent elective lobectomy by surgeons who performed 20 or more annual lobectomies by robotic-assisted or thoracoscopic approach from January 2011 through September 2015, were identified in the Premier Healthcare database with the use of codes from the ninth revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. Propensity-score matching based on patient and hospital characteristics and by year was performed 1:1 to identify comparable cohorts for analysis (n = 838 in each cohort). All tests were two-sided, with statistical significance set at p less than 0.05. A total of 23,779 patients received an elective lobectomy during the study period: 9,360 were performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic approach and 2,994 were by robotic-assisted approach. Propensity-matched comparison of lobectomies performed by surgeons who performed 20 or more procedures annually (n = 838) showed that robotic-assisted procedures had a longer mean operative time by 25 minutes (mean 247.1 minutes vs 222.6 minutes, p < 0.0001) but had a lower conversion-to-open rate (4.8% vs 8.0%, p = 0.007) and a lower 30-day complication rate (33.4% vs 39.2%, p = 0.0128). Transfusion rates and 30-day mortality rates were similar between the two cohorts. When surgical outcomes are limited to surgeons who perform 20 or more annual procedures, the robotic-assisted approach is associated with a lower conversion-to-open rate and lower 30-day complication rate when than video-assisted thoracoscopic surgeons, with a mean operative time difference of 25 minutes.

Reddy RM ，Gorrepati ML ，Oh DS ，Mehendale S ，Reed MF ... -  《-》

Thoracoscopic lobectomy is associated with improved short-term and equivalent oncological outcomes compared with open lobectomy for clinical Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer: a propensity-matched analysis of 963 cases.

Previous literature has reported lower morbidity for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy (VL) compared with open lobectomy (OL); however, most comparative studies have been retrospective and have failed to compare well-matched patient groups, therefore allowing selection bias to influence results. Furthermore, oncological adequacy of VL has recently been questioned, particularly with respect to lymphadenectomy. This study aimed to evaluate short- and long-term outcomes of a large cohort of consecutive patients with c-stage I non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that underwent either VL or OL. Consecutive patients with c-stage I NSCLC who underwent lobectomy without preoperative therapy were reviewed. Univariable, multivariable and propensity-matched analyses were performed. VL patients who underwent conversion to OL were analysed within the VL group. VL was performed in 307 (32%) patients and OL in 656 (68%). Twenty-two (7%) patients converted from VL to OL. Although there were no differences in overall p-stage grouping, there were fewer patients with pT2 tumours in the VL group (39 vs 48%, P = 0.012) and fewer patients with squamous cell histology (26 vs 18%, P = 0.006). These differences resolved after propensity matching. In unmatched and matched analyses, VL was associated with less overall morbidity, less pulmonary morbidity, fewer atrial arrhythmias, shorter chest tube duration and shorter hospital stay than patients who had OL. Thirty-day in-hospital mortality was 0.3 and 1.4%, for VL and OL groups, respectively (P = NS). In unmatched analysis (log rank), 5-year survival favoured VL (78 vs 68%, P = 0.007); however, after propensity matching there was only a trend towards improved survival with VL (78 vs 73%, P = 0.071). Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed VL (hazard ratio (HR) 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.92), male sex (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.10-1.86), Zubrod performance status (HR 3.42, 95% CI 1.26-9.29) and increasing age (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03-1.06) to be independent predictors of survival. Patients with clinical Stage I NSCLC undergoing VL have less perioperative morbidity compared with matched OL controls. Regional lymphadenectomy, nodal upstaging, overall and disease-free survival were similar between VL and OL groups. In experienced centres, VL is an acceptable operation for patients with c-stage I NSCLC.

Stephens N ，Rice D ，Correa A ，Hoffstetter W ，Mehran R ，Roth J ，Walsh G ，Vaporciyan A ，Swisher S ... -  《-》

Pulmonary Open, Robotic, and Thoracoscopic Lobectomy study: Outcomes and risk factors of conversion during minimally invasive lobectomy.

Conversion to thoracotomy continues to be a concern during minimally invasive lobectomy. The aim of this propensity-matched cohort study is to analyze the outcomes and risk factors of intraoperative conversion during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robotic lobectomy (RL). Data from consecutive lobectomy cases performed for clinical stage IA to IIIA lung cancer was retrospectively collected from the Pulmonary Open, Robotic, and Thoracoscopic Lobectomy study consortium of 21 institutions from 2011 to 2019. The propensity-score method of inverse-probability of treatment weighting was used to balance the baseline characteristics across surgical approaches. Univariate logistic regression models were applied to test risk factors for conversion. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted using a stepwise model selection method. Seven thousand two hundred sixteen patients undergoing lobectomy were identified: RL (n = 2968), VATS (n = 2831), and open lobectomy (n = 1417). RL had lower conversion rate compared with VATS (3.6% vs 12.9%; P < .0001). In the multivariable regression model, tumor size and neoadjuvant therapy were the most significant risk factors for conversion, followed by prior cardiac surgery, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, VATS approach, male gender, body mass index, and forced expiratory volume in 1 minute. Conversions for anatomical reasons were more common in VATS than RL (66.6% vs 45.6%; P = .0002); however, conversions for vascular reasons were more common in RL than VATS (24.8% vs 14%; P = .01). The rate of emergency conversions was comparable between RL and VATS (0.5% vs 0.7%; P = .25) with no intraoperative mortalities. Converted minimally invasive lobectomies were not associated with worse perioperative mortality compared with open lobectomy. Compared with VATS lobectomy, RL is associated with a lower probability of conversion in this propensity-score matched cohort study.

Herrera LJ ，Schumacher LY ，Hartwig MG ，Bakhos CT ，Reddy RM ，Vallières E ，Kent MS ... -  《-》

Propensity-matched comparison of video-assisted thoracoscopic with thoracotomy lobectomy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

We evaluated whether video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer could be performed safely and with acceptable long-term outcomes by our improved technique and compared with standard thoracotomy lobectomy in a well-balanced population. Patients with clinical stage II and III A non-small cell lung cancers who received lobectomy were reviewed. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomies were all performed with Wang's technique by the surgeons who had overcome the learning curve and achieved proficiency. By using propensity-matched analysis, perioperative outcomes and long-term survival were compared. Matching based on propensity scores produced 120 patients in each group. Conversion rate to thoracotomy was 11.7%. After thoracoscopic lobectomy, hospital length of stay was shorter compared with thoracotomy (9.2 vs 12 days; P = .014) despite similar rates of postoperative complications (30/125 [25%] vs 34/125 [28.3%]; P = .56). Disease-free survival (49.1% vs 42.2%; P = .40) and overall survival (55.0% vs 57.1%; P = .73) at 5 years were similar between groups. Although advanced pathologic stage (hazard ratio [HR], 2.018; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.330-3.062) and no postoperative chemotherapy (HR, 1.880; 95% CI, 1.236-2.858) were independently associated with increased hazard of death in multivariable Cox regression at each time point in follow-up, thoracoscopic lobectomy was not (HR, 1.075; 95% CI, 0.714-1.620; P = .73). With continued experience and optimized technique, video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy can be performed in the majority of cases without compromising perioperative outcomes and oncologic efficacy.

Chen K ，Wang X ，Yang F ，Li J ，Jiang G ，Liu J ，Wang J ... -  《-》