Single-incision thoracoscopic surgery using a chest wall pulley for lung excision in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the feasibility and compare the outcomes of single-incision thoracoscopic surgery using a chest wall pulley for lung excision (PulLE) vs. those of conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery (cVATS) in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP).

Methods: Sixty-nine patients who underwent PulLE (n = 34) or cVATS (n = 35) between January 2009 and December 2013 were enrolled in this study. PulLE was performed as follows. After making a 17- to 25-mm single incision in the 6th intercostal space (6ICS) at the median axillary line, the visceral pleura near the bulla was sutured for traction. The parietal pleura at 3ICS was then sutured from the thoracic cavity to serve as the chest wall pulley and a traction thread was passed through the pulley. By manipulating the traction thread, it was possible to move the lesion to an arbitrary site for excision. The postoperative scar was nearly invisible.

Results: The operative time, duration of postoperative drainage, and postoperative hospital stay were equivalent for PulLE vs. cVATS. There was no significant difference in postoperative recurrence rates.

Conclusions: PulLE has cosmetic benefits over cVATS and is easy to perform. We believe our novel procedure has the potential to become the standard operative treatment for PSP.