Hand-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.
Hand-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a novel minimally invasive approach for performing techniques conventionally performed by posterolateral thoracotomy. Hand-assisted thoracoscopic surgery overcomes one of the major drawbacks of minimally invasive thoracic surgery in allowing full manual palpation of the lungs through a subcostal incision under video guidance, while avoiding a thoracotomy when the indication is pulmonary metastasectomy with curative intent or resection of undiagnosed lung nodules. The technique may result in improved quality of life outcomes compared with a thoracotomy.
St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. gmwright@ausdoctors.net
Gavin M
GM
Wright
C Peter
CP
Clarke
Joseph M
JM
Paiva
D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D013906:Thoracoscopy / Q000379:methods*