Evolving experience with video-assisted thoracic surgery in congenital cystic lung lesions in a British pediatric center.

Objective: Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is increasingly used for the resection of congenital cystic lung lesions (CLLs). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VATS and its outcome in both antenatally and postnatally detected CLLs.

Methods: Forty-six patients managed during 2000-2005 were studied. Demographics, investigations, operative details, and outcome data were collected and evaluated. Patients were divided into 3 groups for analysis.

Results: Antenatally diagnosed (groups I and II, n = 35): group I (20) had VATS at 20 months median (range, 16-35 months). Video-assisted thoracic surgery was successful in 14 of 20 (70%), notably in all cases of extralobar sequestrations and foregut duplication cysts. Inadequate vision/lung collapse and technical difficulties were the main reasons for conversion to open thoracotomy. Group II (n = 15) was considered unsuitable for VATS because of neonatal symptoms (6 congenital cystic adenomatoid malformations of the lung [CCAMs]) and/or large size/inexperience (5 CCAMs, 4 sequestrations) and had elective thoracotomy at 8 months median (range, 6 days-20 months). Postnatally diagnosed (group III, n = 11): 3 CCAMs, 6 duplications, and 2 sequestrations were diagnosed because of recurrent chest infection (8) or stridor (2), or incidentally (1) at 8 years median (range, 1.2-14 years). Video-assisted thoracic surgery was successful in 3 foregut duplications. A duplication and an intralobar sequestration were converted; open thoracotomy was performed in others because of previous recurrent pneumonic episodes. Postoperative pain and hospital stay were significantly less (P < .001) in successful VATS resection: median of 2 days (range, 1-7 days) compared with thoracotomy median of 6 days (range, 4-20 days).

Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracic surgery is a safe and effective option for asymptomatic congenital CLLs. It is anticipated that more successful CCAM resections using VATS will occur in the future as our technical ability improves.