High Risk for Thoracotomy but not Thoracoscopic Lobectomy

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary lobectomy is the standard of care for resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patients with compromised lung function who are considered high risk may be denied surgical treatment; thus, proper identification of those truly at high risk is critical. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) may reduce the operative risk. This study reviews our institutional experience of pulmonary lobectomy by open thoracotomy or …