The comparison of complication, pain, quality of life and performance after lung resections with thoracoscopy and axillary thoracotomy.

Objectives: The aim of this prospective study was to compare the effects of axillary thoracotomy (AT) and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) on acute-phase responses, pain, performance status and quality of life in patients undergoing pulmonary resection.

Methods: Fifty-five patients with peripherally located lung lesions were enrolled into this study. Surgery was done by VATS or AT. Forced expiratory volume, smoking habits, complications, Charlson comorbidity index, sex, age, length of incision, length of operation, length of hospital stay, length of drainage, length of air leakage, preoperative and postoperative C-reactive protein (CRP) values, visual analogue scale, quality of life and performance status of the patients were measured and compared.

Results: Twenty-five patients had lung resection with VATS and 30 patients had lung resection with AT. The demographic variables were similar. The differences between the two groups' postoperative serum CRP levels were significantly lower for the VATS group. The length of postoperative stay was significantly shorter for the VATS group. There were no other statistical significance between the two groups in terms of operative variables, complications, pain, quality of life and performance status.

Conclusions: AT is a technique equivalent to VATS in terms of early complications, pain, performance status and quality of life; VATS provided a shorter postoperative stay.