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Ann Thorac Surg 2000;70:373-379
© 2000 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original articles: general thoracic

Median sternotomy versus thoracotomy to resect primary lung cancer: analysis of 815 cases

^a The Oregon Clinic, P.C., Providence Health System, Portland, Oregon, USA
^b Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence Health System, Portland, Oregon, USA
^c Medical Data Research Center, Providence Health System, Portland, Oregon, USA

Address reprint requests to Dr Handy, The Oregon Clinic, P.C., 507 NE 47th Ave, Portland, OR 97213

	Abstract

Top Abstract Introduction Material and methods Results Comment References

 
Background. We sought to determine if median sternotomy (MS) is an equivalent incision to thoracotomy (TH) in the treatment of primary pulmonary carcinoma.

Methods. We followed 801 patients undergoing 815 operations for primary lung carcinoma in a computer registry; 447 had MS, 368 had TH.

Results. Both groups were similar in preoperative risk assessment. Complete staging lymph node dissections were performed in 42% of MS patients and 17% of TH patients. Operative mortality (3.8% for MS, 3.3% for TH) and postoperative complications were similar. MS patients had a shorter postoperative hospital stay (7.5 days vs 8.2 days). One hundred thirty-nine underwent pneumonectomy. Operative mortality was 12.5% for MS and 10.4% for TS (p = NS). Five hundred eighty-one underwent lobectomy with an operative mortality of 2.1% for MS and 2.0% for TH. Mean length of stay for MS lobectomy was 7.5 days compared with 8.5 days for TH (p = 0.06). Follow-up was 89% through 1998, comprising 1,339 MS and 1,463 TH patient-years. Survival for stage I at 5 and 10 years, respectively, was 51% and 34% for MS vs 54% and 32% for TH (p = NS). Survival for other stages was also similar.

Conclusions. Median sternotomy provides more complete staging, shorter postoperative hospitalization, and better patient acceptance with equivalent operative and long-term survival when compared with thoracotomy. Concerns regarding increased wound infections in MS patients appear unfounded.

	Introduction

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In 1978, Cooper and associates first described resecting primary pulmonary cancer through a median sternotomy (MS) [1]. In 1980, Urschel and Razzuk presented their experience with MS for resecting primary lung tumors at The Society of Thoracic Surgeons meeting [2]. Both recognized that cardiac surgery through MS appears to cause less incisional pain and fewer pulmonary complications compared with thoracotomy (TH). However, concerns about completeness of resection, hilar control, and the disastrous complication of deep sternal wound infections [3] have kept MS from becoming widespread as an approach for resection of lung cancer.

We began using MS for resection of primary pulmonary carcinoma in 1980. Early in our experience, we compared the use of postoperative analgesics between MS and TH groups [4]. The MS patients used significantly fewer analgesics than patients undergoing TH. Subsequently, we have preferentially utilized MS for resection of lung neoplasms. Currently, MS is utilized in approximately 75% of our pulmonary resections (Fig 1).

View larger version (26K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 1. Percentage of all patients undergoing planned resection of primary lung carcinoma through a median sternotomy between 1980 and 1998.

	Material and methods

Top Abstract Introduction Material and methods Results Comment References

 
A computerized registry (Patient Analysis & Tracking System; Axis Softwear, Portland, OR) was used to track 2,324 consecutive patients undergoing thoracic surgery procedures by a single group of thoracic surgeons operating in two medical centers from January 1980 through December 1998. Patients undergoing surgery before 1984 were entered retrospectively by chart review. Since then, all patients were entered prospectively at the time of, or shortly after, their surgery. Only patients undergoing planned pulmonary resection for primary lung carcinoma were selected for analysis. Video-assisted thoracotomies for biopsy or local excisions were excluded. Long-term follow-up was tracked from hospital tumor registries and managed care systems’ data sources.

Data collected included patient demographics, preoperative risk factors, diagnostic procedures, operative features, pathology, stage, postoperative complications, and mortality. Stage was determined according to the Manual for Staging of Cancer, 4th Edition [5]. Follow-up information included date of last follow-up, administration of radiation or chemotherapy, current tumor status, and cause of death. Statistical calculations were performed with SPSS 9.0 (SPSS, Inc, Chicago, IL) and PATS (Axis Software, Portland, OR). Values greater than p = 0.05 are designated "NS." Postoperative length of stay (LOS) was compared by unpaired t test. Survival was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier technique.

MS was performed utilizing standard techniques with the arms tucked by the sides. All patients had radial artery monitoring lines and double lumen endobronchial intubation. Mediastinoscopy was performed selectively; however, since 1991, complete mediastinal staging lymph node dissection has been performed routinely. No special sternal retractors were used but the retractor was tilted to facilitate exposure of the hemithorax. The surgeon was positioned opposite to the lung to be operated upon. The patient was turned away from the surgeon to allow the first assistant better visualization. Hilar exposure was accomplished by a combination of traction sutures placed into the perihilar pericardium anterior to the phrenic nerve and one or two laparotomy packs placed posterior to the lung. Hilar division began with pulmonary veins, proceeded to the pulmonary artery branches, and ended with the bronchus. Early completion of the interlobar fissure facilitated the dissection of the more peripheral vascular branches. Mediastinal lymphadenectomy was performed by exposing the trachea between the extrapericardial aorta and superior vena cava. Right and left paratracheal as well as subcarninal lymph nodes were easily removed. Aorto-pulmonary nodes were removed by dissecting between the extrapericardial aorta and extrapleural left pulmonary artery.

With the MS approach, lateral or anterior chest wall en bloc dissections were performed after the hilar structures were divided. MS patients with central tumors were easily approached intrapericardially to control the pulmonary vessels.

TH patients underwent standard posterolateral, thoracotomies, entering in the fifth or sixth interspace. Ribs were not divided nor removed, but muscle-sparing incisions have been utilized more frequently in the latter years of the series. Thoracic lymphadenectomy via TH was performed in the routine manner.

	Results

Top Abstract Introduction Material and methods Results Comment References

 
Eight hundred and one patients underwent 815 operations for primary lung cancer. Two patients presented with synchronous tumors and 18 patients had metachronous carcinomas resulting in second or third operations. Four hundred forty-seven MS patients and 368 TH patients were analyzed. Three hundred forty-eight of the TH patients underwent posterolateral thoracotomy. A small number of the TH group had other incisions (16 anterior thoracotomies, three posterior thoracotomies, and one thoraco-abdominal incision).

Patient characteristics are shown in Table 1. There was no difference in patient age, comorbidities, or smoking history between the groups. More MS patients had been treated for COPD (31% vs 22%; p = 0.027).

View larger version (15K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 2. Kaplan-Meier survival curve of all patients with pathologically confirmed stage I (A and B) non-small cell carcinoma. Solid line represents sternotomy survival curve; dashed line represents thoracotomy survival curve. Represented are 281 stage I sternotomy patients and 206 stage I thoracotomy patients.

View larger version (14K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig 3. Kaplan-Meier survival curve of all patients with pathologically confirmed stage II (A and B) non-small cell carcinoma. Solid line represents sternotomy survival curve; dashed line represents thoracotomy survival curve. Represented are 67 stage II sternotomy patients and 66 stage II thoracotomy patients.

	Comment

Top Abstract Introduction Material and methods Results Comment References

 
We analyzed 815 cases of MS and TH incisions for resection of primary lung cancer. Posterolateral thoracotomy is the "gold standard" incision for pulmonary resection for primary cancer. Other incisions, such as anterior thoracotomy, posterior thoracotomy, and "clam shell" incisions, are advocated only in selected cases [6, 7]. While these incisions give excellent exposure for surgical resection, compromise of pulmonary function, disability, and chronic pain associated with thoracotomy has been considerable [1, 7]. Additionally, adequate lymph node staging has been difficult, particularly with left-sided lesions.

MS has been used for years in cardiac surgery and has not been associated with the pain and disability of TH [7]. Although cardiac surgery and lung cancer surgery patients are typically similar in terms of age, smoking histories, and comorbidities, the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications is significantly less in those patients undergoing heart surgery as compared with pulmonary operations. In the 1970s and early 1980s, surgeons began resecting bullous lesions and multiple metastatic pulmonary lesions through a sternotomy [8, 9].

As Cooper and others have shown, MS is a feasible incision to resect pulmonary tumors [1, 2, 4]. Using this approach, we previously demonstrated a shorter length of stay, less postoperative pain, and significantly less analgesic use [4]. However, the number of MS patients in each of these series was small, many common complications of pulmonary and cardiac surgery were not evaluated, there was no information regarding late pain syndromes, and follow-up was limited to the immediate postoperative period. Most significantly, there have been no data available to determine if resection through MS is as effective as TH in controlling cancer. This study was embarked upon to answer these questions and determine the place of MS in the surgical therapy of lung cancer.

The cases were not randomized. Surgeon preference and anatomic concerns influenced the selection process. We consider superior sulcus tumor, left lower lobectomy, and posterior chest wall resection to be contraindications to pulmonary resection via MS. Additionally, we avoided left lung resection in the setting of previous coronary artery bypass using the left internal mammary artery because of the risk of injury to that conduit. We readily perform left and right pneumonectomies, and right-sided resection, left upper lobectomy, left superior segmentectomy, and anterior or lateral en bloc chest wall resections via MS. In patients with a previous thoracotomy, MS is an easier approach because it allows full entry into the chest away from the densest adhesions and early, safe hilar and vascular control [1].

In the present report, we did not specifically investigate late incisional pain syndromes. However, in 1987, we reviewed the charts of all pulmonary TH and MS patients operated upon by our group between 1980 and 1987. We found that chronic postsurgery pain syndrome was present in 12% (25 of 203) of TH patients as compared with 1% (1 of 114) of MS patients (p < 0.001).

MS and TH were not different in terms of operative mortality and are similar to other large reports [10–13]. Complication rates were not statistically different between the groups. Of interest, the incidence of postoperative new atrial fibrillation was 15% in MS and 12% in TH patients. This compares with an 18% incidence in our coronary revascularization patients.

As others and we have observed, MS patients experienced a shorter postoperative LOS compared with TH patients [2, 4]. More than 39% of MS patients were discharged in 5 days or less as compared with 27% of TH patients. In the later years of the study, as our incision bias tended towards MS, managed care mandated earlier discharge. However, the difference in LOS between the two groups was present in every time period during the study.

The mortality and complications of pneumonectomy are similar to that reported in several large studies [10, 13] but are higher than that observed in others [14, 15]. A difference in mortality between right and left pneumonectomies has previously been noted. El-Oakley and Cameron reported an operative mortality of 37% in elderly patients undergoing right pneumonectomy compared with 6% for left pneumonectomy [16]. Nagasaki and associates observed 13.3% right pneumonectomy mortality with none for left pneumonectomy [17].

Morbidity and mortality rates for lobectomy through either incision were similar or lower than in other large reports [10, 11, 13]. Reoperations for control of bleeding were more frequent in the MS patients (2.4%), but most occurred early in our series, and we attribute that to our "learning curve."

A major concern with MS in the treatment of lung cancer has been the fear of sternal wound infections and dehiscence [1, 3]. In our series, deep sternal wound infections and dehiscence were extraordinarily rare, particularly when compared with cardiac surgery. Lung cancer resections through a median sternotomy were associated with four of 447 (0.9%) deep sternal wound infections and no dehiscences, while there were eight (2.2%) deep wound infections and two (0.5%) dehiscences in the 368 thoracotomy patients. There were no wound complications in the 330 patients undergoing MS lobectomy, but in 249 TH lobectomies, there were three deep infections (1.2%) and one dehiscence (0.4%). By comparison, there were 44 (1.1%) deep wound infections and 16 (0.4%) dehiscences in 4,057 patients undergoing cardiac surgery through a median sternotomy at our institution between 1987 and 1997. While there is no statistical difference in wound complication rates between the two pulmonary resection groups or between cardiac and pulmonary MS operations, clearly, the wound complication risk is no higher for patients undergoing transternal pulmonary resection than it is with traditional thoracotomy or cardiac surgery. Our experience, showing an apparent difference in staging lymph node dissection between MS and TH, is a function of practice change and not real. We adopted routine thoracic lymphadenectomy in 1991 simultaneously with increase use of MS for pulmonary resection (Fig 1). However, even small or peripheral cancers can be associated with unsuspected N2/N3 lymph nodes metastases [18, 19], and "skip" nodal metastases are not rare [20]. Due to the technical ease, we routinely perform complete bilateral staging lymph node dissections on all patients approached through MS. Although we have not accrued sufficient 5-year survival data to confirm our impression, we believe complete lymphadenectomy will lead to "up-staging" and an improved survival for patients who are truly stage I.

There is no compromise in cancer control using MS instead of TH. Our long-term survival results are similar to those reported in the literature [6, 21, 22]. Five-year survival for pneumonectomy and lobectomy is similar regardless of incision.

Conclusions
Median sternotomy provides shorter postoperative hospitalization, less postoperative pain, equivalent operative morbidity, operative mortality, and long-term survival with the potential for more complete staging when compared with thoracotomy in the surgical treatment of primary lung carcinoma.

	References

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This Article Abstract Full Text (PDF) Correction (v70,p2187) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): James W. Asaph Gary L. Grunkemeier Andrew C. Tsen Richard C. Rogers Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Asaph, J. W. Articles by Keppel, J. F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Asaph, J. W. Articles by Keppel, J. F.