ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and effect of day surgery in minimally invasive surgical treatment of early-stage lung cancer by enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).MethodsWe included the patients discharged from the day surgery ward of thoracic surgery after surgery in Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital between June and November 2019. We retrospectively analyzed surgical indications of day surgery, management and perioperative medical history of the patients. A total of 517 patients were included, with 156 male and 361 female patients aged 46.4±10.9 years. A total of 45 patients underwent single port VATS segmentectomy and 472 patients underwent single port VATS wedge resection.ResultsThe average operation duration was 33.7±18.5 min. The average intraoperative blood loss was 28.5±21.4 mL. There was no intraoperative blood transfusion or conversion to thoracotomy. Postoperative pain score was 2.1±0.2. The average hospitalization was 1.94±0.89 days. The total hospitalization cost of the patients was 34686.51±6228.09 Yuan, which was 29.93% lower than the same surgery methods in the general ward. A percentage of 98.2% patients were satisfied or very satisfied in the patient satisfaction survey.ConclusionDay surgery and ERAS are effective and safe in minimally invasive surgery of early-stage lung cancer. It can also speed up the postoperative recovery of patients, improve the occupancy efficiency of hospital beds and save the medical cost.