Multicenter experience of video-assisted thoracic surgery to treat mediastinal cysts and tumors

In spite of improvements in imaging techniques, surgical procedures are often needed to diagnose and definitively treat mediastinal masses. The range of application of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in this context is still poorly defined. The present study describes and analyzes the experience of the Cooperative Group for Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery of the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (GCCVT-SEPAR), with the aim of determining the usefulness of the technique for treating mediastinal cysts and tumors. For 2 years we gathered information prospectively on 1,573 consecutive VATS procedures in 17 hospitals. The data from 64 procedures performed for diagnosis and treatment of mediastinal cysts and tumors are analyzed. A definitive diagnosis was reached in all cases. Nineteen were malignant tumors and 45 were benign lesions. Twenty-five complete resections (39%) were performed: 6 pleuropericardial cysts, 4 bronchogenic cysts, 8 neurogenic tumors and other benign lesions. Radiologically poorly defined masses and those located in the anterior and median parts of the mediastinum were most often the object of diagnostic procedures, whereas cysts and well-defined solid lesions on the posterior mediastinum were usually the object of therapeutic interventions. Eleven percent of the cases required conversion to thoracotomy, mainly due to pleural adhesions. Four complications (6.3%) were recorded and no deaths occurred. The median hospital stay after surgery was 2.5 days; 7.8% of the procedures were performed on outpatients. VATS is performed on many mediastinal lesions in Spain. Cysts and benign tumors are selected for resection. Poorly defined and malignant lesions were diagnosed by biopsy. The experience reported demonstrates the efficacy and safety of this technique for selected cases.