title: Videothoracoscopic resection of neurogenic tumors of the superior sulcus using the harmonic scalpel.
abstract: Resection of neurogenic tumors located in the paravertebral sulcus carries a risk of injury to the adjacent nervous structures and also to critical intercostal arteries supplying the anterior spinal artery. To avoid such complications, we have used the Harmonic Scalpel (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Cincinnati, OH) for the dissection of neurogenic tumors in 2 consecutive patients operated on by videothoracoscopy. The Harmonic Scalpel functions with ultrasonic energy, producing less heat than a regular electrocautery and allows a safer dissection of tumors located in the posterior mediastinum, particularly those located in the superior paravertebral sulcus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Percy Military Hospital, Clamart, France. fpons@mail3.imaginet.fr
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pons
authors.forename: Loïc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lang-Lazdunski
authors.forename: Pierre Mathieu
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: Léon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meyrat
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jancovici
mesh_terms: D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008479:Mediastinal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000601:surgery*; D009455:Neurofibroma / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014465:Ultrasonics