Objective To compare the effects of preserving and releasing the inferior pulmonary ligament (IPL) during thoracoscopic right upper lobe apical segment resection for non-small cell lung cancer patients, and to explore appropriate management methods for intraoperative IPL. MethodsAccording to the prospective and open principle, the patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic right upper lobe apical segment resection in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department of Ningbo Second Hospital from January 2020 to November 2022 were randomly selected and divided into two groups: a release group (receiving IPL release during thoracoscopic right upper lobe apical segment resection) and a retention group (receiving the same right upper lobe apical segment resection, but retaining IPL during operation). The clinical data of the two groups were compared. ResultsA total of 70 patients were included in this study, including 33 males and 37 females, aged 35-76 years. There were 35 patients in the release group with an average age of 57.02±9.25 years; 35 patients in the retention group with an average age of 56.81±9.94 years. The surgical time in the release group was statistically longer than that in the retention group (P=0.017). There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of intraoperative bleeding, duration of postoperative air leakage, time to achieve lung recruitment, drainage flow rate of the thoracic duct, retention time of the thoracic duct, incidence of postoperative complications, postoperative hospitalization days, or residual cavity rate one month after the surgery (P>0.05). ConclusionCompared to releasing IPL during thoracoscopic right upper lobe apical segment resection, preserving IPL can simplify surgical procedures, shorten surgical time and reduce trauma, and does not increase postoperative adverse effects. This further reflects the concept of minimally invasive surgery and can be applied to clinical practice.