Table 1 Patient characteristics (n = 37)

Age (years)

70 (33–80)

Sex (male/female)

20 (54%)/17 (46%)

Comorbidity^a (hypertension/diabetes/asthma/COPD/arrhythmia)

9 (24%)/4 (11%)/3 (8%)/2 (5%)/2 (5%)

Induction therapy (yes/no)

0 (0%)/37 (100%)

Lobectomy

35 (95%)

 Right upper/middle/lower lobe

20 (3.0%^b)/2 (2.0%^b)/3 (0.8%^b)

 Left upper/lower lobe

8 (1.9%^b)/2 (0.7%^b)

Bilobectomy (right middle and lower lobes)

2 (5%)

Operation side (right/left)

27 (75%)/10 (25%)

 Right mediastinal lymph node dissection (superior only/inferior only/both groups)

16 (43%)/0 (0%)/11 (30%)

 Left mediastinal lymph node dissection (superior only/inferior only/both groups)

2 (5%)/2 (5%)/6 (16%)

Approach (c-VATS/Thoracotomy)

1 (3%)/36 (97%)

Pathologic N stage (N0/N1/N2)

33 (89%)/1 (3%)/3 (8%)

Pathologic stage (IA/IB/IIA/IIB/IIIA/IIIB)

18 (49%)/12 (32%)/3 (8%)/1 (3%)/3 (8%)