title: [Video-assisted thoracic surgery through card-sized utility thoracotomy].
abstract: The technique of video-assisted thoracic surgery, a minimum invasive surgical procedure is discussed. The characteristics are as follows: through utility thoracotomy, which is smaller than a card of 54 x 85 mm in size, we carry out the procedures using both eyes-vision with right perspective and palpation with fingers. We use conventional tools besides endoscopic tools, such as ultra-long scissors of 30 cm in length, 26 cm long Péan's forceps, which have 2 groove at the tip that allow one to push the knot. We covered a body of a forceps, while tip and the other end are not covered to allow transmission of the electrostream. We have carried out more than 70% of standard lobectomies with modified lymph node dissection for lung cancer according to this technique under the same quality of operation as conventional open thoracotomy. The procedure did not differ from conventional approach in the operation time and amount of bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Hyogo Medical Center, Akashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*