Is video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy better than minimally invasive open thoracotomy?

This article reviews our experiences of the current video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy and minimally invasive open thoracotomy for resection of lung cancer. Between August 1999 and April 2007 at Saiseikai Central Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, we performed VATS lobectomy in 243 patients with clinical stage I lung cancer. It is certain that VATS lobectomy is acceptable in view of its low invasiveness, mortality, morbidity. And from an oncological viewpoint, VATS lobectomy is not inferior to conventional lobectomy. Therefore, we consider VATS lobectomy to be one of the therapeutic options in patients with clinical stage I lung cancer. However, what is most important is to achieve an anatomic lobectomy and complete mediastinal lymph node dissection. It may be that it is not important for differences of approach methods.