Background
The aim of this study is to compare the diagnostic efficacy and safety of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with awake VATS (AVATS) pleural biopsy in undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions.
Methods
The diagnostic efficacy of pleural biopsy by uniportal VATS under general anesthesia or AVATS under local anesthesia and sedation performed by the same surgeon in patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion between 2007 and 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Test sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were compared as well as age, gender, comorbidities, procedure safety, additional pleural-based interventions, duration time of operation and length of hospital stay.
Results
Of 154 patients with undiagnosed exudative pleural effusion, 113 (73.37%) underwent pleural biopsy and drainage with VATS, while 41 (26.62%) underwent AVATS pleural biopsy. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 92%, 100%, 100%, and 85.71% for VATS, and 83.3%, 100%, 100%, and 78.9% for AVATS, respectively. There was no significant difference in diagnostic test performance between the groups, (p = 0.219). There was no difference in the rate of complications [15 VATS (13.3) versus 4 AVATS (9.8%), p = 0.557]. Considering additional pleural-based interventions, while pleural decortication was performed in 13 (11.5%) cases in the VATS group, no pleural decortication was performed in AVATS group, (p = 0.021). AVATS group was associated with shorter duration time of operation than VATS (22.17 + 6.57 min. versus 51.93 + 8.85 min., p < 0.001). Length of hospital stay was relatively shorter in AVATS but this was not statistically significant different (p = 0.063).
Conclusions
Uniportal AVATS and VATS have a similar diagnostic efficacy and safety profile in the evaluation of undiagnosed exudative pleural effusions. However, AVATS is associated with shorter operation time and relatively shorter hospital stay implying that AVATS may provide improved recovery time, less major complications, and thus increased patient satisfaction. VATS is easier and safer in patients with low or no pleural effusion and facilitates to perform pleural decortication in the presence of pleural thickening. Considering the general condition of the patient, the amount of pleural effusion and the experience of the operator AVATS may be a diagnostic choice in selected cases.