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Predictors of general complications after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedures

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Abstract

Background

The video-assisted thoracoscopic approach has become the preferred method for many procedures due to the reduced trauma, complication rate and morbidity. The aim of this study was a risk evaluation of patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) procedures.

Methods

Between 1991 and 2004, 1,008 patients were included in this single-center retrospective analysis. Risk assessment was performed using univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

Multivariate analysis revealed that patient age (p = 0.003), the duration of the VATS procedure (p = 0.008), redo-VATS (p < 0.001) and conversion to open thoracotomy (p < 0.001) correlated significantly with the incidence of complications. Patients with immune deficiency following organ transplantation had the highest complication rate at 31.7%, which was significantly higher than for patients with either benign disease (p = 0.010) or malignant disease (p = 0.019).

Conclusions

VATS is a safe procedure, but extra caution is recommended for patients with a higher risk profile (age, redo-VATS, immune deficiency).

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Acknowledgements

This work was sponsored by a generous grant from the Chiles Foundation Portland, Oregon USA. We thank Volkmar Henschel, PhD (Institute for Medical Information Assessment, Biometry and Epidemiology) for consultation in statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery and Thoracic Surgery, Klinikum Grosshadern, Ludwig Maximilians University, Munich, Marchioninistrasse 15, 81377, Munich, Germany

    Hauke Winter, Georgios Meimarakis, Matthias Pirker, Fritz Spelsberg, Reinhard Kopp, Dominik Rüttinger, Florian Loehe, Karl-Walter Jauch & Rudolf Hatz

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  1. Hauke Winter
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  2. Georgios Meimarakis
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  3. Matthias Pirker
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  4. Fritz Spelsberg
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  5. Reinhard Kopp
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  6. Dominik Rüttinger
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  7. Florian Loehe
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hauke Winter.

Additional information

Hauke Winter, Georgios Meimarakis authors contributed equally to the work

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Winter, H., Meimarakis, G., Pirker, M. et al. Predictors of general complications after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical procedures. Surg Endosc 22, 640–645 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-007-9428-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00464-007-9428-0

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