Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraoperative pleural irrigation with nocardia rubra cell-wall skeleton (N-CWS) for reducing pleural effusion drainage after radical surgery for lung cancer. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of lung cancer patients who underwent lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University between December 2024 and May 2025. Patients were divided into a control group and an irrigation group based on the intraoperative use of N-CWS. Patients in the irrigation group received pleural irrigation with 800 μg of N-CWS diluted in 10 mL of normal saline. The following outcomes were compared between the two groups: pleural effusion drainage volume at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h postoperatively; degree of air leak; chest tube duration; postoperative length of stay; and the incidence of adverse events (fever, chest pain, and vomiting). Results A total of 245 patients were included (97 males, 148 females) with a mean age of (61.28±6.26) years, with 205 in the control group and 40 in the irrigation group. Compared to the control group, the irrigation group showed significantly lower pleural effusion drainage volumes at 0-24 h, 24-48 h, and 48-72 h, as well as shorter chest tube duration and postoperative length of stay (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the degree of postoperative air leak (P=0.801). No significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding the highest body temperature within 72 h post-surgery (P=0.130), fever grade (P=0.450), severity of chest pain (P=0.138), or the incidence of nausea and vomiting (P=0.376). ConclusionIntraoperative pleural irrigation with N-CWS in patients undergoing lobectomy and mediastinal lymph node dissection for lung cancer can significantly reduce postoperative pleural effusion drainage volume, shorten chest tube duration, and decrease the length of hospital stay. The procedure is safe and feasible.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and safety of da Vinci robotic surgery for elderly patients with radical surgery of lung cancer.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 59 patients aged over 70 years who underwent radical surgery of lung cancer in our hospital between 2016 and 2019. These patients were divided into two groups including a da Vinci robot group and a single-utility port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) group according to the patients’ selection of the treatments. There were 32 patients with 20 males and 12 females aged 73.1±2.3 years in the da Vinci robot group and 27 patients with 16 males and 11 females aged 71.2±1.3 years in the VATS group. The clinical data of the two groups were compared.ResultsThere was no statistical difference in surgery time between the two groups (t=–0.341, P=0.484). Compared with the VATS group, the da Vinci robot group had more number of lymph nodes dissected (t=1.635, P=0.015), less intraoperative blood loss (t=–2.569, P <0.001), less postoperative drainage amount within 3 days after surgery (t=–6.325, P=0.045), lower visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at postoperative 3rd day (t=–7.214, P=0.021).ConclusionThe da Vinci robot system is safe and efficient in the treatment for elderly patients with radical surgery of lung cancer with less trauma.