Clinical application of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery / 中国微创外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the clinical application of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). Methods Clinical records of 78 cases of VATS from July 1998 to December 2002 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 40 cases of bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax, 12 cases of surgical exploration for chest trauma, 9 cases of wedge resection for solitary pulmonary nodules, 6 cases of pleural biopsy combined with pleurodesis, 4 cases of resection for mediastinal tumor, 4 cases of pulmonary lobectomy, 2 cases of broncho-pleural fistula following lobectomy and 1 case of resection for esophageal leiomyoma. Results A conversion to open surgery was required in no cases, but a supplementary mini incision was needed in 5 cases because of the adhesion of pleural cupula. The intrathoracic drain was all removed within 48 postoperative hours with exception of 3 middle-old aged patients with spontaneous pneumothorax in whom the continuous air leakage was observed and the drain was removed on 7, 8 and 13 postoperative days, respectively. The delayed healing of drain site was seen in 5 cases. The incidence of operative complications was 10 3% (8/78). Conclusions Broad prospects exists in the clinical application of VATS, but the costs of the disposable is subject to reduce. The application of suture or knotting under thoracoscope may save medical costs.