title: Hand-assisted thoracoscopic resection for anterior mediastinal masses.
abstract: We report three cases of anterior mediastinal disease (pericardial cyst, thymoma, and myasthenia gravis) in which we used a hand-assisted method in combination with thoracoscopic resection via an infrasternal approach in order to improve the maneuverability and safety of the operation. This technique combines the advantages of both thoracoscopic and incisional resection. It shows promise of becoming a less invasive operation that can be used to treat certain mediastinal tumors, both malignant and benign.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Surgery, Osaka Police Hospital, 10-31, Kitayama-chou, Tennouji-ku, Osaka 543-0035, Japan. t-1037@oph.gr.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kido
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Utsumi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fukui
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakahara
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods