Thoracoscopic segmentectomy for lung cancer

Lobectomy has long been considered the standard procedure for early-stage lung cancer, and minimally invasive techniques have been demonstrated to be associated with superior outcomes compared with lobectomy by thoracotomy. The use of segmentectomy is under investigation for selected patients with small tumors, and the use of minimally invasive strategies is applicable as well. In this review, we analyzed studies that have compared (1) thoracoscopic segmentectomy versus the open approach, (2) thoracoscopic segmentectomy versus thoracoscopic lobectomy, and (3) thoracoscopic segmentectomy versus thoracoscopic lobectomy versus thoracoscopic wedge resection. When compared with open segmentectomy, preliminarily, thoracoscopic segmentectomy was found to have equivalent oncologic results, with shorter hospital length of stay, reduced rates of morbidity, and lower cost. When compared with thoracoscopic lobectomy, thoracoscopic segmentectomy had equivalent rates of morbidity, recurrence, and survival. Preliminarily, thoracoscopic segmentectomy was found to result in greater preservation of lung function and exercise capacity than the thoracoscopic lobectomy.