VATS

This study aims to evaluate the acute effects of inspiratory muscle training performed with and without a mobile application providing visual feedback on exercise motivation, patient adherence, dyspnea perception, usability, and patient satisfaction in lung cancer patients undergoing lobectomy via video-assisted thoracic surgery. Participants will perform conventional inspiratory muscle training without visual feedback in the morning on postoperative day 1 after transfer to the ward. After at least two hours of rest, the same exercise protocol will be repeated with a smart adaptor connected to a mobile application to provide visual feedback. Inspiratory muscle training will be performed using a threshold-loading device at 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure, with three sets of ten breaths. Outcomes will be assessed before and/or after each session as appropriate.

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Serratus Posterior Superior Intercostal Plane (SPSIP) block compared to Intercostal Nerve (ICN) block in terms of postoperative pain control, reduction of opioid analgesic consumption, minimization of postoperative respiratory complications, and increase patient satisfaction (using a 5-point Likert scale) in patients undergoing video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

For giant mediastinal teratomas, the only treatment option available is usually open-chest surgery, which causes significant trauma, leads to obvious postoperative pain and may result in long-term complications such as chest wall deformity. Currently, we have developed a new treatment method. We use a double retractor system to pull the upper and lower ends of the sternum, lifting it to obtain sufficient surgical space behind the sternum. This enables us to perform minimally invasive tumor resection through the subxiphoid approach with thoracoscopy. The advantages of this method include reduced surgical trauma and postoperative pain, shortened hospital stay, and improved cosmetic effect

Title: Assessing the Impact of Additional Serratus Anterior Block on Postoperative Pain After Rhomboid Intercostal Block in VATS Patients Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate whether the addition of a Serratus Anterior Plane Block (SAPB) to the standard Rhomboid Intercostal Block (RIB) improves postoperative pain management in patients undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS). Study Design: * Type: Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) * Participants: 50 patients aged 18 -70 requiring VATS, randomized into two groups: one receiving RIB alone, and the other receiving RIB + SAPB. * Duration: Pain and opioid consumption will be measured within 48 hours post-surgery. * Outcome Measures: Pain levels using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), opioid usage, and patient satisfaction. Significance: The study addresses the gap in research regarding the combined use of SAPB and RIB in pain control for VATS. It hypothesizes that the combination will lead to better pain relief and reduced opioid dependence compared to RIB alone.

In recent year, non-intubated anesthesia had emerged as an available and promising alternative for thoracic procedure. However, its safety and feasibility in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for mediastinal neoplasm remain controversial. This randomized controlled trial is designed to evaluate the impact of the non-intubated approach on surgical and perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing mediastinal neoplasm resection.

Guidelines lack high quality evidence on optimal postoperative chest tube and pain management after surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). This results in great variability in postoperative care and length of hospital stay (LOS). Chest tube and pain management are prominent factors regarding enhanced recovery after thoracic surgery, and in standardised care they are crucial to improve quality of recovery and decrease LOS. Historically, postoperative chest tubes are left in place for at least a fixed number of 3-5 days, irrespective of absence of air leakage. This period was deemed necessary for adequate pleurodesis and prevention of recurrence. However, it is suggested that removal on the same day of surgery is safe and associated with a reduced LOS. Regarding postoperative pain management, thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) is the gold standard for postoperative pain management following video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Although the analgesic effect of TEA is clear, it is associated with hypotension and urinary retention. Therefore, unilateral regional techniques, such as paravertebral blockade (PVB), are developed. The investigators hypothesize that early chest tube removal accompanied by a single-shot paravertebral blockade (PVB) for analgesia is safe regarding pneumothorax recurrence and non-inferior regarding pain, but superior regarding LOS when compared to standard conservative treatment.

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a novel pain management technique that has gained popularity in recent years due to its non-invasive nature and ease of operation. Current literature has substantiated its efficacy in managing pain syndromes and chronic pain. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding its effectiveness in treating acute postoperative pain. This project aims to explore the efficacy of taVNS in postoperative pain management, with a focus on video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS). The investigators have designed a double-blind, single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial, planning to enroll 116 patients scheduled to undergo VATS(including segmentectomy or lobectomy) under general anesthesia at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Participants will be divided into an intervention group (receiving taVNS) and a sham intervention group (receiving sham-taVNS), and will undergo a 2-hour intervention on the first postoperative day. The primary outcome is the pain relief rate, defined as a reduction of 15mm or 30% in the VAS (1-100mm) score immediately before and after the intervention on the first postoperative day. Secondary outcomes include: the proportion of patients with inadequate analgesia within three days after intervention; the difference in VAS scores immediately before and after the intervention on the first postoperative day; the incidence of opioid-related and taVNS-related side effects from the first to the third postoperative day after intervention; the number of effective and ineffective PCA presses (if used) from the first to the third postoperative day after intervention; the specifics and frequency of additional analgesic measures taken by patients from the first to the third postoperative day after intervention; the difference in RCSQ scores on the night of surgery and the night after intervention; and the probability of patients experiencing surgery-related pain three months after surgery. Follow-up period for this study will be three months after surgery.

In this study, the reasons for prolonged hospital stay after thoracoscopic (video- or robot-assisted) anatomical lung resections are investigated. Currently, whenever possible, these anatomical lung resections are performed thoracoscopically, as they offer significant improvements in terms of postoperative pain, number of postoperative complications, rehabilitation, tolerance for adjuvant chemotherapy, and length of hospital stay. The development of an 'Enhanced Recovery After Surgery' (ERAS) protocol for lung surgery has further reduced hospital stay and the need for opioids for analgesia. Despite the optimal implementation of the ERAS protocol, there are still patients who need to stay in the hospital longer than the median. The aim of this research is to investigate the reasons for this.

The purpose of this project is to introduce and implement music therapy as an evidence-based pain management protocol focused on reducing postoperative pain levels among Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) patients in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) of the project site. The clinical question guiding this initiative is: In adult patients undergoing a VATS procedure, does the implementation of music therapy lead to lower postoperative pain scores in the PACU compared to no intervention within an 8-week timeframe? The investigator will ask eligible patients their immediate pain scores upon arrival into the PACU and then start music of patient's choice via over-the-ear headphones. Pain scores will be rechecked 30 minutes after implementation of music therapy. The standard of care pain medications and/or usual care will not be withheld or altered after surgery in lieu of music therapy.

Prolonged Air Leak (PAL) is a common and serious problem after lung surgery. It can lead to worse patient outcomes, longer hospital stays, and higher costs. Reinforced staplers are designed to make the staple line stronger and reduce the risk of PAL. However, investigators don't know if they are better than standard staplers, especially in a specific type of lung surgery called fissureless lobectomy for lung cancer. This study aims to find out if reinforced staplers are more effective at reducing PAL and its complications compared to non-reinforced staplers. Reinforced staplers have been used in lung surgeries and have shown to reduce PAL. For example, staplers with special materials like polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheets have shown lower air leakage and fewer days with chest tubes. Other materials like expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) sleeves have also been used to manage air leaks in different types of lung surgeries. However, their effectiveness in fissureless lobectomy has not been studied yet.