National Assessment of Early Discharge After Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery for Lung Resection

Factors associated with safe and successful postoperative day 1 discharge after lung operations: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

A shorter length of stay (LOS) is associated with fewer hospital-acquired adverse conditions and decreased utilization of hospital resources. While modern perioperative care protocols have enabled some ambitious surgical teams to achieve discharge as early as within postoperative day 1 (POD1), most other teams remain cautious about such an approach due to the perceived risk of missing postoperative complications and increased readmission rates. We aimed to identify factors that would help guide surgical teams aiming for safe and successful POD1 discharge after lung resection.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and CENTRAL databases for articles comparing perioperative characteristics in patients discharged within POD1 (DWPOD1) and after POD1 (DAPOD1) following lung resection. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

We included eight retrospective cohort studies with a total of 216,887 patients, of which 22,250 (10.3%) patients were DWPOD1. Our meta-analysis showed that younger patients, those without cardiovascular and respiratory comorbidities, and those with better preoperative pulmonary function are more likely to qualify for DWPOD1. Certain operative factors, such as a minimally invasive approach, shorter operations, and sublobar resections, also favor DWPOD1. DWPOD1 appears to be safe, with comparable 30-day mortality and readmission rates, and significantly less postoperative morbidity than DAPOD1.

CONCLUSIONS

In select patients with a favorable preoperative profile, DWPOD1 after lung resection can be achieved successfully and without increased risk of adverse outcomes such as postoperative morbidity, mortality, or readmissions.

[Application and Research Progress of Video Double-lumen Tube in Thoracic Surgery]

The rapid development and promotion of minimally invasive thoracic surgery represented by video-assisted thoracoscopy surgery has gradually replaced traditional thoracic surgery technique as the primary choice for the treatment of pulmonary nodules, including early lung cancer. With the clinical application of double-lumen bronchial catheters, the realization of one-lung ventilation technology not only provides a solid anesthesia foundation for the popularization of minimally invasive thoracic surgery, but also provides a guarantee for the rapid and smooth implementation of the operation. However, compared with single-lumen bronchial catheters, the diameter of the double-lumen bronchial catheter is thicker, and the tube body is hard and difficult to shape, which brings inconvenience to anesthesia intubation. The bronchial structure is different, and the incidence of dislocation during anesthesia intubation is also high. With the gradual clinical use of video double-lumen tube (VDLT), it has become a hot spot in thoracic surgery in recent years. This article reviews the application and research progress of VDLT in thoracic surgery.
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