Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of the da Vinci robot and thoracoscopic subxiphoid approach for the treatment of anterior mediastinal tumors. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent anterior mediastinal tumor resection through the subxiphoid approach admitted to the same medical group in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between June 2020 and April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgery approach, the patients were divided into a robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS) group and a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) group. The perioperative data and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 79 patients were enrolled. There were 41 patients in the RATS group, including 13 males and 28 females, with an average age of 45.61±14.99 years. There were 38 patients in the VATS group, including 14 males and 24 females, with an average age of 47.84±15.05 years. All patients completed the surgery successfully. Hospitalization cost and operative time were higher or longer in the RATS group than those in the VATS group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative water and food intake time, postoperative off-bed activity time, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage and visual analogue scale (VAS) score on the first postoperative day, white blood cell count and neutrophil percentage on the third postoperative day, duration of analgesic pump use, the number of voluntary compressions of the analgesic pump, and mediastinal drainage volume were all superior to those in the VATS group (P<0.05). The differences in VAS scores on the third postoperative day, duration of drainage tube retention and postoperative complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion RATS subxiphoid anterior mediastinum tumor resection is a safe and feasible surgical method with less injury and higher safety, which is conducive to rapid postoperative recovery and has wide clinical application prospects.

Objective To investigate the effect of multi-sided foramen ultrafine drainage tube with metal support on the formation of thoracic residual cavity after uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) upper lobectomy. Methods The clinical data of the patients who underwent uniportal VATS upper lobectomy for lung cancer in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2021 to April 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the type of ultrafine drainage tube used in the surgery, the patients were divided into a test group (using metal-supported multi-sided foramen ultrafine drainage tube) and a control group (using ordinary 12F ultrafine drainage tube). The incidence of postoperative thoracic residual cavity and operation-related data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 200 patients were enrolled, including 126 males and 74 females, with a mean age of 57.52 years. There were 90 patients in the test group, and 110 patients in the control group. The incidence of postoperative thoracic residual cavity in the test group was lower than that in the control group (P=0.045). The differences in the postoperative bedtime, postoperative visual analogue scale, postoperative analgesic pump using time, postoperative hospitalization time, times of postoperative thoracentration and drainage, postoperative drainage time and hospitalization cost between the two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). The incidences of postoperative lung infection, pleural effusion and atelectasis complications were lower in the test group than those in the control group (P<0.05). The differences in the preoperative anesthesia time, operation time, intraoperative bleeding and postoperative lung leakage were not statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion The use of multi-sided foramen ultrafine drainage tube with metal support can reduce the incidence of thoracic residual cavity after uniportal VATS upper lobectomy, and can reduce pain and economical burdens and the incidence of operation-related complications, accelerating the recovery of patients after surgery. The application of multi-sided foramen ultrafine drainage tube with metal support in uniportal VATS upper lobectomy can be widely used in the clinic.

Objective To compare the short-term clinical effects of Da Vinci robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of posterior mediastinal tumors, and to explore the advantages of RATS posterior mediastinal tumor resection. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent posterior mediastinal tumors resection through the lateral chest approach admitted to the same medical group in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between January 2019 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into a RATS group and a VATS group. The clinical data were compared between the two groups. Results A total of 85 patients were included in this study. There were 39 patients in the RATS group, including 25 females and 14 males, with an average age of 47.6±13.0 years, and 46 patients in the VATS group, including 14 males and 32 females, with an average age of 45.3±14.7 years. All patients completed the operation successfully. The hospitalization cost in the RATS group was significantly higher than that in the VATS group (P<0.001), and the white blood cell count and neutrophilic granulocyte percentage on the first day after operation in the RATS group were lower than those in the VATS group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The operative time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, white blood cell count and neutrophil percentage on the third postoperative day, visual analogue scale score on the first and third postoperative days, duration of analgesic pump use, postoperative 12 h oxygen saturation (no oxygen inhalation), postoperative down bed time, total thoracic drainage volume, duration of drainage tube retention, and postoperative complication rates were not statistically different between the two groups (P>0.05). There was no perioperative death, conversion to thoracotomy or serious perioperative complications in both groups. Conclusion RATS resection of posterior mediastinal tumor via lateral thoracic approach is safe and feasible, and its short-term effect is similar to that of VATS via lateral thoracic single-hole approach. It is worth further comparative study to explore its benefit and cost performance.

Objective To investigate the clinical effect of metal supported multi-sided versus ordinary ultra-fine drainage tube in the uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lower pulmonary lobectomy. Methods From January 2021 to June 2022, the clinical data of patients who underwent uniportal VATS lower lobectomy in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different types of ultra-fine drainage tubes used in the surgery, the patients were divided into an experimental group (using multi-sided hole 10F ultra-fine drainage tubes with metal support) and a control group (using ordinary 12F ultra-fine drainage tubes). The clinical data of the two groups were compared. Results A total of 190 patients were enrolled, including 108 males and 82 females. There were 90 patients in the experimental group aged 56.60±10.14 years; and 100 patients in the control group aged 57.07±11.04 years. The incidences of postoperative lung infection and pleural effusion in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). The postoperative visual analogue scale score, the need to adjust the chest drainage tube after the surgery, the need for chest puncture after the surgery, the time of postoperative chest tube removal, and the hospitalization cost were statistically different (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in the length of postoperative hospital stay or the incidences of postoperative lung leakage, arrhythmia, and atelectasis complications (P>0.05). Conclusion Compared with the ordinary ultra-fine drainage tubes, multi-sided hole ultra-fine drainage tubes with metal support can reduce the incidences of lung infection and pleural effusion complications after the uniportal VATS lower lobectomy, reduce the pain and economic burden, which can be applied in the uniportal VATS lower lobectomy.

Objective    To systematically evaluate the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by surgery versus definitive chemoradiation in stage ⅢA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods    We searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library to collect clinical studies on the efficacy comparison between neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by surgery and definitive chemoradiation in stage ⅢA-N2 NSCLC from inception to September 2022. The meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software. Results    A total of 9 studies (3 randomized controlled trials and 6 retrospective cohort studies) with 12 801 patients were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that there was no statistical difference in the progression-free survival rate between the inductive treatment followed by surgery (including lobectomy and pneumonectomy) and definitive chemoradiation (HR=0.99, 95%CI 0.86-1.15, P=0.91). Compared with definitive chemoradiation, the overall survival (OS) rate in the inductive treatment followed by surgery (including lobectomy and pneumonectomy) was lower (HR=1.24, 95%CI 1.09-1.42, P=0.001), while the OS rate in the inductive treatment followed   by lobectomy was higher (HR=0.55, 95%CI 0.51-0.61, P<0.000 01). And the local recurrence rate in the inductive treatment followed by surgery was reduced (OR=0.44, 95%CI 0.36-0.55, P<0.000 01). Conclusion    Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy followed by lobectomy is superior to definitive chemoradiation in OS and it has a lower local recurrence rate, so lobectomy should be one of the multidisciplinary treatments for selected ⅢA-N2 NSCLC patients.

Objective     To explore the independent risk factors for tumor invasiveness of ground-glass nodules and establish a tumor invasiveness prediction model. Methods     A retrospective analysis was performed in 389 patients with ground-glass nodules admitted to the Department of Thoracic Surgery in the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from June 2018 to May 2021 with definite pathological findings, including clinical data, imaging features and tumor markers. A total of 242 patients were included in the study according to inclusion criteria, including 107 males and 135 females, with an average age of 57.98±9.57 years. CT data of included patients were imported into the artificial intelligence system in DICOM format. The artificial intelligence system recognized, automatically calculated and output the characteristics of pulmonary nodules, such as standard diameter, solid component size, volume, average CT value, maximum CT value, minimum CT value, central CT value, and whether there were lobulation, burr sign, pleural depression and blood vessel passing. The patients were divided into two groups: a preinvasive lesions group (atypical adenomatoid hyperplasia/adenocarcinoma in situ) and an invasive lesions group (minimally invasive adenocarcinoma/  invasive adenocarcinoma). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to screen the independent risk factors for tumor invasiveness of ground-glass nodules and then a prediction model was established. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn, and the critical value was calculated. The sensitivity and specificity were obtained according to the Yorden index. Results     Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that central CT value, Cyfra21-1, solid component size, nodular nature and burr of the nodules were independent risk factors for the diagnosis of tumor invasiveness of ground-glass nodules. The optimum critical value of the above indicators between preinvasive lesions and invasive lesions were –309.00 Hu, 3.23 ng/mL, 8.65 mm, respectively. The prediction model formula for tumor invasiveness probability was logit (P)=0.982–(3.369×nodular nature)+(0.921×solid component size)+(0.002×central CT value)+(0.526×Cyfra21-1)–(0.095 3×burr). The areas under the curve obtained by plotting the ROC curve using the regression probabilities of regression model was 0.908. The accuracy rate was 91.3%. Conclusion     The logistic regression model established in this study can well predict the tumor invasiveness of ground-glass nodules by CT and tumor markers with high predictive value.

Objective    To explore the safety, feasibility and superiority of tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopy in the treatment of primary palmar hyperhidrosis (PPH). Methods    The clinical data of 46 patients with palmar hyperhidrosis treated by thoracoscopy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from March 2017 to September 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 22 received tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and were divided into a tubeless group, including 10 males and 12 females with an average age of 24.3±6.4 years; 24 received conventional thoracoscopic surgery, and were divided into a control group, including 13 males and 11 females with an average age of 23.5±4.8 years. The operation status, anesthesia effect and postoperative complications of the two groups were compared. Results    Forty-six patients successfully completed the operation with the assistance of thoracoscopy. There was no intraoperative transfer to thoracotomy, or intraoperative transfer to tracheal intubation in the tubeless group. Anesthetic recovery time (14.4±1.6 min vs. 20.1±1.8 min, P=0.000), time to get out of bed on the first postoperative day (3.1±0.6 h vs. 1.6±0.4 h, P=0.000), visual analogue score for postoperative pain (1.4±0.6 points vs. 3.4±1.1 points, P=0.000), postoperative hospital stay (1.7±0.5 d vs. 2.8±0.6 d, P=0.000), postoperative satisfaction rate of patients (95.5% vs. 66.7%, P=0.037) in the tubeless group were shorter or better than those in the control group. There was no statistical difference in age, gender, smoking history, palmar hyperhidrosis classification, palms or other  associated parts, the total time of bilateral surgery, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative complications, or compensatory hyperhidrosis (mild) between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    Compared with traditional thoracoscopic surgery for PPH, tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for PPH has the advantages of safety, reliability, light pain and quick recovery, in line with the concept of accelerated rehabilitation surgery.

Objective    To explore the safety, feasibility and superiority of tubeless video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax. Methods    We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 38 patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax treated in our hospital from February 2017 to July 2018. Tubeless bullectomy was performed in 18 patients, including 11 males and 7 females, aged 14.3±1.5 years. Twenty patients underwent conventional thoracoscopic bullae resection, including 12 males and 8 females, aged 14.5±1.7 years. The clinical effectiveness was compared. Results    All the 38 patients completed the operation successfully under the single-port thoracoscopy, without the transfer of intubation and secondary surgery. Operation time (67.3±13.3 min vs. 81.4±13.4 min, P=0.002), preoperative anesthesia time (14.2±2.6 min vs. 18.5±2.6 min, P=0.000), postoperative anesthesia recovery time (17.1±2.6 min vs. 26.5±5.0 min, P=0.000), visual simulation score of postoperative pain (2.3±0.9 vs. 5.2±1.0, P=0.000), postoperative activity time (1.3±0.4 d vs. 2.9±0.6 d, P=0.000), postoperative hospitalization time (2.9±0.8 d vs. 5.6±1.3 d, P=0.000), hospitalization cost (35.0±6.0 kyuan vs. 59.0±10.0 kyuan, P=0.000) were better in the control group. There was no significant difference in intraoperative blood loss (73.2±4.6 mL vs. 73.9±4.1 mL) and postoperative lung revascularization time (29.3±2.4 h vs. 29.7±2.5 h) between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion    Compared with traditional thoracoscopic bullectomy, tubeless VATS technique is safe and reliable in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax, with mild pain and quick recovery, in line with the concept of fast track surgery and worthy of clinical promotion.

Objective    To discuss the safety, feasibility and short-term clinical efficacy of thoracoscopic anterior mediastinal mass resection in lithotomy position via subxiphoid approach or lateral position via transthoracic approach. Methods    A total of 44 patients suffering anterior mediastinal tumor enrolled, including 21 patients (10 males and 11 females as a trial group) with an average age of 43.6±11.8 years who have been performed thoracoscopic anterior mediastinal tumor resection in lithotomy position via subxiphoid approach and 23 patients (13 males and 10 females as a control group) with an average age of 45.3±10.8 years who have been performed thoracoscopic anterior mediastinal tumor resection in lateral position via transthoracic approach. The clinical efficacy of the two groups was compared. Results    Postoperative chest drainage time (3.8±1.3 d vs. 5.0±1.8 d, P=0.017), postoperative drainage volume (238.8±66.2 mL vs. 467.2±120.0 mL, P=0.000), postoperative mean  visual analogue score at 24 h (2.5±0.9 point vs. 4.9±1.0 point, P=0.000), times of self-pressure analgesic pump (3.7±0.9 vs. 8.4±2.0, P=0.000), duration of postoperative hospital stay (4.7±1.3 d vs. 7.4±3.1 d, P=0.000) and hospitalization cost (34±8 kyaun vs. 44±11 kyuan P=0.001) in the trial group were all better than those in the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups in surgical duration (59.0±18.1 min vs. 60.4±16.4 min) (P>0.05). During follow-up, no recurrence or metastasis occurred in either group. Conclusion    Compared with the lateral position through the transthoracic approach, the lithotomy position through subxiphoid approach of thoracoscopic anterior mediastinal mass resection is safe and feasible, and has certain advantages.

Objective To comprehensively evaluate the clinical effect of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in treating paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).Methods Computer retrieval of PubMed,EMbase,the Cochrane Library,Web of Knowledge,China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI),Chinese Biomedical Medical Literature (CBM),China Wan Fang,China VIP,and other database to collect the randomized control trials (RCT) related to RFA and CBA treatment for PAF.The retrieval time was from the establishment of database to December 2015.The data extraction and methodological quality of the included studies were assessed by two reviewers independently.And meta-analysis was conducted by using RevMan 5.2 software.Results A total of 6 research papers (636 patients in total) were included.The results of meta-analysis showed that the incidence of phrenic nerve paralysis in CBA group was significantly higher than that in RFA group (RR=9.26,95％CI:2.17-39.63,P=0.003).No statistically significant differences in the operation time (MD=10.07,95％CI:-9.10-30.52,P=0.29),fluoroscopy time (MD=-0.18,95％CI:-8.14-7.77,P=0.96),12-month success rate (RR=0.91,95％CI:0.72-1.14,P=0.40) and the incidences of atrial tachycardia,atrial flutter,atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia existed between CBA group and RFA group (RR=0.47,95％CI:0.11-2.02,P=0.31).Conclusion For the treatment of PAF,no obvious differences in the operation time,fluoroscopy time,12-month success rate,and the incidences of atrial tachycardia,atrial flutter,atrioventricular reentrant tachycardia exist between CBA and conventional RFA,but CBA can increase the incidence of phrenic nerve paralysis.