Comparison of hook wire combined with indocyanine green and hook wire alone for localization of pulmonary nodules in TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery

Abstract Objectives：Comparison of hook wire combined with indocyanine green（ICG） and hook wire alone for localizing pulmonary nodules in TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery（VATS). Methods：From September 2020 to October 2022, a total of 117 patients underwent computed tomography-guided localization of pulmonary nodules prior to VATS at the same medical institution. Among them, 42 patients received dual localization with hook wire combined with ICG, constituting a dual localization group, and 75 patients received only hook wire localization, constituting a single localization group. We performed a retrospective comparative analysis of the preoperative localization and major intraoperative problems in these 117 patients. Results：No serious complications occurred in either positioning group. The cough complication rate was higher in the dual localization group (9.5% versus 0.0%, P=0.015). The difference in positioning time between the two groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.452). Seven patients in the single localization group required extended pneumonectomy compared with none in the dual localization group (9.3% versus 0.0%, P = 0.048). Conclusions：Hook wire combined with ICG increases cough complications compared to hook wire alone for localizing pulmonary nodules but is effective in reducing the enlargement of the pneumonectomy.