scholarly journals Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Indeterminate Pulmonary Nodules

1994 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet L. Albright ◽  
Rick I. MacArthur ◽  
Julie A. Swain ◽  
Alan T. Tran ◽  
Alex G. Little

The approach to patients with indeterminate pulmonary nodules is poorly defined. Should every pulmonary nodule be biopsied, is needle biopsy adequate, and other questions are challenges. Video assisted thoracic surgery or thoracoscopy has added a new diagnostic possibility which is evaluated in this paper. Fifty-five patients underwent thoracoscopy for diagnosis of a solitary pulmonary nodule. There were few complications and mortality was zero. A definitive diagnosis was obtained in all patients, although one required a second thoracoscopic wedge resection and 10 required conversion to an open thoracotomy.As discussed in the paper, thoracoscopy provides the opportunity for safely establishing a definitive diagnosis in all patients with solitary nodules and the authors believe will become a standard part of the evaluation of these patients.

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i70-i76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao-Yu Liu ◽  
Po-Kuei Hsu ◽  
Ka-I Leong ◽  
Chien-Kun Ting ◽  
Mei-Yung Tsou

Abstract OBJECTIVES Tubeless uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), using a uniportal approach and non-intubated anaesthesia while avoiding postoperative chest drain insertion, for patients undergoing thoracoscopic surgery has been demonstrated to be feasible in selected cases. However, to date, the safety of the procedure has not been studied. METHODS We reviewed consecutive patients undergoing non-intubated uniportal VATS for pulmonary wedge resection at 2 medical centres between August 2016 and October 2019. The decision to avoid chest drain insertion was made in selected candidates. For those candidates in whom a tubeless procedure was performed, postoperative chest X-rays (CXRs) were taken on the day of the surgery [operation (OP) day], on postoperative day 1 and 1–2 weeks later. The factors associated with abnormal CXR findings were studied. RESULTS Among 135 attempts to avoid chest drain insertion, 13 (9.6%) patients ultimately required a postoperative chest drain. Among 122 patients in which a tubeless procedure was performed, 26 (21.3%) and 47 (38.5%) had abnormal CXR findings on OP day and postoperative day 1, respectively. Among them, 3 (2.5%) patients developed clinically significant abnormal CXRs and required intercostal drainage. Primary spontaneous pneumothorax was independently associated with a higher risk of postoperative abnormal CXRs. CONCLUSIONS Tubeless uniportal VATS for pulmonary wedge resection can be safely performed in selected patients. Most patients with postoperative abnormal CXRs presented subclinical symptoms that spontaneously resolved; only 2.5% of patients with postoperative abnormal CXRs required drainage.


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