title: [Successful video-assisted thoracoscopic bullectomy and Nd-YAG laser ablation].
abstract: We report here two cases of giant/multiple emphysematous bullae treated with video-assisted thoracoscopy. The first case was a 35-year-old male who was referred to our hospital because an abnormal shadow was casually pointed out in a chest roentgenogram. Chest computed tomographic scan showed giant bulla in the left upper lobe. The second patient was a 37-year-old male who had a symptom of shortness of breath on exertion. Chest roentgenogram and computed tomographic scan revealed multiple bullae at bilateral apical regions. They were performed resection of bulla with stapler and Nd-YAG laser ablation to the emphysematous surroundings using video-assisted thoracoscopy. They had recovered sufficiently to be discharged from our hospital. We think Nd-YAG laser ablation is effective to prevent postoperative air leakage and recurrence of bullae because it makes surrounding tissue tight and continuous.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, JR Sapporo General Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koshino
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D003560:Cysts / Q000601:surgery*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy; D014741:Video Recording