Short-term Outcome of Three-Dimensional Versus Two-Dimensional Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Benign Pulmonary Diseases

Background It is unclear whether three-dimensional (3D) video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) pulmonary resections are comparable to two-dimensional (2D) VATS pulmonary resections in patients with potentially operable benign pulmonary diseases. Methods We analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent 2D and 3D VATS pulmonary resections for benign diseases in our hospital from November 2013 to August 2014. Perioperative factors (estimated blood loss and operative time) and postoperative factors (postoperative hospital length of stay, postoperative complications, and duration of chest tube drainage) were evaluated. Results VATS was performed in 278 patients during the 10-month study period. The 2D VATS system was used in 142 patients (51.08%), and the 3D VATS system was used in 136 (48.92%). Operative time was significantly different between the two groups ( p = 0.007). However, no significant differences were found in estimated blood loss ( p = 0.75), chest drainage tube placement time ( p = 0.852), rate of postoperative complications ( p = 0.566), or postoperative hospital length of stay ( p = 0.951). Conclusions The use of 3D VATS appears to facilitate precise execution of surgical techniques in specific operative tasks and, as a result, reduces lung resection performance time in patients with benign pulmonary diseases.