New tactile sensor techniques for localization of pulmonary nodules.
We developed a new method for thoracoscopically localizing pulmonary nodules using a tactile sensor. This sensor was originally designed to probe the hardness of an object, which is represented by changes in resonance frequency of the sensor (delta f: Hz). By moving over the lung surface, the sensor probe, introduced through a 10 mm trocar, was able to search for nodules within the pulmonary parenchyma thoracoscopically. When the sensor probe passed just above a nodule, which was harder than the adjacent tissue, a sudden sharp increase in the curve was observed. We have successfully utilized this method in 16 cases since August 1994. A representative case is that of a 68-year-old male who was admitted with an indeterminate nodule, demonstrated preoperatively in the left lung by chest computed tomography, which was localized with this technique and resected under thoracoscopic surgery.
Ohtsuka
T
T
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Furuse
A
A
Kohno
T
T
Nakajima
J
J
Yagyu
K
K
Omata
S
S
D000368:Aged; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D020708:Thoracoscopes; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*