Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Versus Open Thoracotomy Lobectomy in a Cohort of 13,619 Patients

Patients who underwent VATS lobectomy were 1.6 times more likely to have intraoperative complications than patients who underwent open lobectomy. However, short-term mortality, lengths of stay, and hospitalization costs were similar between the two groups of patients. There seems to be a socioeconomic disparity between VATS and open thoracotomy patients.