OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to compare thoracoscopic mobilization of the oesophagus in the lateral decubitus position and the semiprone position and to identify potential differences between the two techniques. METHODS A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained oesophagectomy database identified 150 patients undergoing combined thoracoscopic and laparoscopic oesophagectomy (...

Conversion rates during video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy are reported, but no previous publications have classified the cause of conversion. The aim of the study was to develop a quality assessment tool [vascular, anatomy, lymph node, technical (VALT) 'Open'] to evaluate reasons and nature of conversion during the development of a video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy program. Between 20...

The incidence of azygos lobe vary from 0.4% to 1% with no clinical significance (1). Recently, with the progress in minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery, azygos lobe Identification has become more oftentimes seen during the procedure. In this report we discuss the anesthetic considerations of an azygos lobe in a patient with palmar hyperhidrosis who underwent thoracoscopic sympathectomy.

Two patients were admitted to our hospital due to giant bullae. During thoracoscopic surgery, saline-cooled radiofrequency coagulation devices were used to shrink the wall of the bulla. In each case, the volume of the bulla was gradually reduced and the boundary between the lung and bulla was clearly delineated. This method is considered to be useful for performing thoracoscopic surgery of gian...

A cross-filed endotracheal intubation is usually applied to maintain single lung ventilation during both open and thoracoscopic tracheal resection and reconstruction. Herein, we report a case of thoracoscopic tracheal resection and reconstruction with interrupted ventilation via transoral endotracheal intubation in a patient with thoracic tracheal adenocarcinoma. Tracheal anastomosis was accomp...

A 79-year old male with lung nodules on chest computed tomography underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic-surgical middle lobe wedge resection, with pathology proven adenosquamous carcinoma. Repeat video-assisted thoracoscopic-surgical-biopsy was performed for recurrent disease. Subsequent staging computed tomography revealed herniation of the gallbladder through the abdominal wall (Figs 1 and 2...

OBJECTIVES Thoracoscopic sympathectomy at levels T2 or T2-T3 is a treatment for focal hyperhidrosis and facial blushing. These levels of the sympathetic trunk innervate the heart, and consequently, the procedure is reported to change the heart rate variability due to changes in efferent cardiac autonomic activity. Our objective was to investigate the effects of thoracoscopic sympathectomy on gl...

BACKGROUND Thoracoscopic surgery is a commonly used endoscopic surgical treatment approach in patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax. The conventional thoracoscopic approach utilizes three or more small wounds for surgery. Currently, a single port approach is a potential alternative procedure in general thoracoscopic surgery. We investigated whether a single-port approach is suitable as...

OBJECTIVE Evaluation of the efficiency of our technique of methylene-blue labelling of pulmonary nodules to facilitate thoracoscopic recognition and excision. DESIGN Patients with a peripheral pulmonary nodule smaller than 2.5 cm and not in contact with the visceral pleura were included. Under tomodensitometric guidance, the nodules were labelled with methylene-blue within hours before thorac...