AIM To evaluate the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in the diagnosis and treatment of malignant pleural effusions (MPE) and to assess the results and complications of the procedure. METHODS A total of 61 patients with the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusion were assessed retrospectively between 2004 - 2010, 25 women (40.9%) and 36 men (59.1%), with an age range of ...

Iatrogenic pulmonary hernia is a rare condition. Repair is performed due to persistent symptoms and it is usually carried out by open surgery. We report a case of a 59-year-old woman who developed a lung hernia after small anterior thoracotomy that was performed for mitral valve surgery. The herniated lung is reduced with success by video thoracoscopic surgery and the chest wall defect is repai...

Solitary papilloma of the lung is thought to be a rare benign epithelial tumor, and complete surgical resection is currently the standard treatment for this pathology. However, some cases of papilloma have reportedly shown malignant potential. We report two cases of solitary glandular papilloma of the peripheral lung that were treated by thoracoscopic partial resection. The first patient presen...

A 42-year old woman presented with rheumatoid arthritis, dyspnoea and a congenital foregut cyst referred by a rheumatologist for thoracic surgery. The cyst was removed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The patient developed acute haemoptysis in the immediate postoperative period, which necessitated pulmonary resection due to infracted right lower lobe. This case report highlights the com...

We report a case of primary clear-cell sarcoma (CCS) in the mediastinum. In October 2011, a 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for surgical resection. The tumor was completely excised by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The tumor was well encapsulated and did not invade the pleura. Histological examination led to a final diagnosis of primary CCS in the mediastinum. The patient re...

CONTEXT Essential hyperhidrosis is a frequent disorder causing significant functional impairment. The advent and development of video-assisted thoracoscopic techniques now allows thoracic sympathectomy to be carried out precisely and safety with good results and minimal morbidity. OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of video-assisted thoracic sympathectomy in patients diagnosed as presenting sever...