AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and outcomes of simultaneous bilateral thoracotomy in pediatric patients compared with traditional bilateral staged thoracotomy. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 30 consecutive patients 18 years or younger undergoing either bilateral staged or bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy between March 1994 and July 2004. Follow-up (mean, 47 months) was available for all patients. RESULTS: Thirty patients (17 boys, 13 girls; average age, 12 years) underwent bilateral staged or bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy. Eighteen patients underwent staged thoracotomy, 9 patients underwent simultaneous thoracotomy, and 3 patients underwent both procedures. Diagnosis included sarcoma (n = 21), Wilms tumor (n = 4), indeterminate pulmonary nodules (n = 3), and germ cell tumor (n = 2). When we compared outcomes for patients undergoing simultaneous versus staged bilateral thoracotomy, mean hospital stay (5.2 vs 10.6 days; P < .002), intensive care unit stay (1 vs 2 nights; P < .0001), days with tube thoracostomy (4 vs 8 days; P < .0005), and time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (13 vs 30 days; P < .05) were all significantly less for patients undergoing bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy. In addition, postoperative complications were less frequent in patients undergoing simultaneous versus staged thoracotomy (0 vs 3 events; P = .25). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy is safe and may lessen morbidity and hospital stay while avoiding delay in initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy.
AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the safety and outcomes of simultaneous bilateral thoracotomy in pediatric patients compared with traditional bilateral staged thoracotomy. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 30 consecutive patients 18 years or younger undergoing either bilateral staged or bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy between March 1994 and July 2004. Follow-up (mean, 47 months) was available for all patients. RESULTS: Thirty patients (17 boys, 13 girls; average age, 12 years) underwent bilateral staged or bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy. Eighteen patients underwent staged thoracotomy, 9 patients underwent simultaneous thoracotomy, and 3 patients underwent both procedures. Diagnosis included sarcoma (n = 21), Wilms tumor (n = 4), indeterminate pulmonary nodules (n = 3), and germ cell tumor (n = 2). When we compared outcomes for patients undergoing simultaneous versus staged bilateral thoracotomy, mean hospital stay (5.2 vs 10.6 days; P < .002), intensive care unit stay (1 vs 2 nights; P < .0001), days with tube thoracostomy (4 vs 8 days; P < .0005), and time to initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy (13 vs 30 days; P < .05) were all significantly less for patients undergoing bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy. In addition, postoperative complications were less frequent in patients undergoing simultaneous versus staged thoracotomy (0 vs 3 events; P = .25). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, bilateral simultaneous thoracotomy is safe and may lessen morbidity and hospital stay while avoiding delay in initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy.