Thoracoscopic lobectomy is associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality in patients with predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second or diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide less than 40% of normal

Objective: A predicted postoperative (ppo) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%) or diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO%) of <40% has traditionally been considered to convey a high risk of lobectomy owing to elevated postoperative morbidity and mortality. These recommendations, however, were largely derived from the pre-video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) era. We hypothesized that VATS lobectomy would be associated with acceptable morbidity and mortality at ppoFEV1% and ppoDLCO% values <40%. Methods: PpoFEV1% and ppoDLCO% were calculated for patients undergoing open or VATS lobectomy for lung cancer in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic database from 2009 to 2011. Univariate comparisons, multivariate analyses, and 1: 1 propensity matching were performed. Results: A total of 13,376 patients underwent lobectomy (50.9% open, 49.1% VATS). A decreased ppoFEV1% and ppoDLCO% were each independent predictors for both cardiopulmonary complications and mortality in the open group (all P <=.008). In the VATS group, ppoFEV1% was an independent predictor of complications (P=.001) but not mortality (P=.77), and ppoDLCO% was an independent predictor of complications (P=.046) and mortality (P=.008). With decreasing ppoFEV1% or ppoDLCO%, complications and mortality increased at a greater rate in the open lobectomy than in a propensity-matched VATS group (n=4215 each). For patients with ppoFEV1% <40%, mortality was greater in the open (4.8%) than in the matched VATS group (0.7%, P=.003). Similar results were seen for ppoDLCO% <40% (5.2% open, 2.0% VATS, P=.003). The rate of complications was significantly greater at ppoFEV1% <40% in the open (21.9%) than in the matched VATS (12.8%, P=.005) group and similar results were seen with ppoDLCO% <40% (14.9% open, 10.4% VATS, P=.016). Conclusions: VATS lobectomy can be performed with acceptable rates of morbidity and mortality in patients with reduced ppoFEV1% or ppoDLCO%.