ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic sleeve lobectomy in the treatment of central non-small cell lung cancer.MethodsThe clinical data of 105 patients with central non-small cell lung cancer who underwent sleeve lobectomy surgery in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University and Shanxi Cancer Hospital from December 2014 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 83 males and 22 females, with an average age of 57.4 (32.6-77.8) years and weight of 62.5 (52.4-79.1) kg. Thirty-five patients received video-assisted thoracoscopic sleeve lobectomy (a group A), and 70 patients received traditional thoracotomy sleeve lobectomy (a group B). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph node dissection, postoperative complication rate, early postoperative mortality, total thoracic drainage volume at 24 hours, time of indwelling chest tube after operation, pain score at 24 hours after operation, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative short-term (1 month, 6 months and 1 year) quality of life score and postoperative 3-year survival rate of two groups were compared.ResultsThere was statistical difference in the operation time (228.1±24.7 min vs. 175.0±23.7 min, P=0.02), postoperative complication rate (28.6% vs. 34.3%, P=0.04), postoperative pain score at 24 h (3.6±3.5 points vs. 5.9±2.0 points, P=0.03) and postoperative indwelling chest tube time (5.0±2.9 d vs. 8.4±2.1 d, P=0.04) between the two groups. There was no statistical difference in the intraoperative blood loss (182.5±36.9 mL vs. 189.8±27.5 mL, P=0.34), number of lymph node dissections (11.1±2.6 vs. 12.3±1.9, P=0.49), early postoperative mortality (2.9% vs. 4.3%, P=0.31), total thoracic drainage volume at 24 h after surgery (346.8±91.1 mL vs. 329.8±101.4 mL, P=0.27), postoperative hospital stay (7.9±4.2 d vs. 8.5±3.4 d, P=0.39) and 3-year postoperative survival rate (68.6% vs. 72.9%, P=0.82) between the two groups.ConclusionVideo-assisted thoracoscopic sleeve lobectomy for the treatment of central non-small cell lung cancer is safe and feasible. Compared with traditional thoracotomy for sleeve lobectomy, fewer postoperative complications occur, body recovers faster and the quality of life is higher within the postoperative 6 months. Besides, the 3-year survival rate can achieve similar oncological prognosis results.