Clinical experience of double sleeve lobectomy of the bronchus and the pulmonary artery in patients with central lung cancer

Objective The aim of our study was to introduce the surgical method and evaluate the efficacy of double sleeve lobectomy of the bronchus and the pulmonary artery in treatment for the central lung cancer. Method From March 1995 to October 2010, double sleeve lobectomy of the bronchus and the pulmonary artery was performed in 45 cases with central lung cancer that involved the bronchial opening of an upper lobe of the lungs or the main bronchus and pulmonary artery but didn’t involve any lower lobes. Among them, left upper lobectomy was performed in 37 cases, right medium-upper lobectomy was performed in 6 cases and right upper lobectomy was performed in 2 cases. Results Postoperative complications were found in 12 cases. Among them, 3 cases were arrhythmia, 1 case was acute heart failure, 6 cases were obstructive pneumonia and pulmonary atelectasis, 2 cases were bronchial anastomotic fistula. Two cases died of cerebral infarction and massive hemoptysis respectively. Thirty-one cases were squamous carcinoma, 7 cases were adenocarcinoma, 4 cases were small cell lung cancer, 1 case was adenosquamous carcinoma, 1 case was sarcomatoid carcinomas, 1 case was mucinous adenocarcinoma. Ten cases were T3N0M0, 11 cases were T3N1M0, 17 cases were T3N2M0, 2 cases were T4N1M0, 5 cases were T4N2M0. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year survival rates were 84.4% (38/45), 51.7% (15/29), 53.8% (7/13) respectively. Conclusion The double sleeve lobectomy of the bronchus and the pulmonary artery can maximumly reserve the normal lung tissues while removing tumors, and avoid pneumonectomy. The surgery was safe and effective, while it required a high technique.