title: Role of thoracoscopy in acute management of chest injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the literature on the use of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the diagnosis and treatment of intrathoracic injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is a relatively recent innovation. It was originally promoted for the treatment of retained hemothorax and the diagnosis of diaphragm injury. It is highly effective for the management of those problems. Recent studies have focused on video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for treatment of chest wall bleeding, diagnosis of transmediastinal injuries, pericardial window and persistent pneumothorax. In properly selected patients, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is extremely efficacious in managing these problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The role of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in the management of acute chest injury is expanding. It is an invaluable tool for the trauma surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA.
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Casós
authors.forename: J David
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Richardson
mesh_terms: D000075202:Contraindications; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries; D016724:Empyema, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery