Postoperative pulmonary complications and rehabilitation requirements following lobectomy: a propensity score matched study of patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery versus thoracotomy†.

Abstract

: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) lobectomy is increasingly used for curative intent lung cancer surgery compared to open thoracotomy due to its minimally invasive approach and associated benefits. However, the effects of the VATS approach on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC), rehabilitation and physiotherapy requirements are unclear; our study aimed to use propensity score matching to investigate this.