Transition from Multi-portal to Uni-portal Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery: A Modern Era Requirement

Abstract

Background: Every passing day brings new innovations to medical science and Thoracic Surgery is no exception to it. We have witnessed gradual evolution in VATS from multiple ports to single port over the last two decades. Objective: To evaluate whether this evolution is worth in terms of minimizing the postoperative complication. Study Design: Prospective randomized observational trial. Settings: Aseer Central Hospital, Abha-Saudi Arabia. Duration: Two years and 6 months from September 15, 2017 to March 15, 2020. Methodology: A total of 68 patients were studied who were operated by same surgical team under identical operative environment. Both diagnostic and therapeutic VATS procedures were included in our study. Histologically proven Bronchogenic Carcinoma resection in order to exclude stage to stage bias. Results: Different variables including Anesthesia and operative times, blood loss and post-operative surgical complications were found to be same in both operative procedures. However, patients with Uni-portal VATS experienced much less pain post operatively, their chest drains were removed earlier and consequently they had shorter hospital stay over all. Conclusion: Uni-portal VATS has similar efficacy and safety as Multi-portal VATS yet it results in faster recovery and shorter hospital stay.