title: [Current status of thoracoscopic surgery for thoracic and lumbar spine. Part 1: general aspects and treatment of fractures].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thoracoscopic surgery or video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) of the thoracic and lumbar spine has greatly evolved since it appeared less than 20 years ago. Nowadays, it is indicated in a large number of processes and injuries. The aim of this article, in its 2 parts, is to review the current status of VATS in treatment of the thoracic and lumbar spine in its entire spectrum.
  
  
  METHODS
  After reviewing the current literature, we develop each of the large groups of indications where VATS is used, one by one. This first part contains a description of general thoracoscopic surgical technique including the necessary prerequisites, transdiaphragmatic approach, techniques and instrumentation used in spine reconstruction, as well as a review of treatment and specific techniques in the management of spinal fractures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thoracoscopic surgery is in many cases an alternative to conventional open surgery. The transdiaphragmatic approach has made endoscopic treatment of many thoracolumbar junction processes possible, thus widening the spectrum of therapeutic indications. These include the treatment of fractures and deformities, as well as the reconstruction of injured spinal segments and decompression of the spinal canal in any etiological processes if the lesion placement is favourable to antero-lateral approach. Good clinical results of thoracoscopic surgery are supported by the growing experience reflected in a large number of articles. The degree of complications in thoracoscopic surgery is comparable to open surgery, with benefits in morbidity of the approach and subsequent patient recovery.
authors.affiliation: Wirbelsäulenzentrum Starnberger See Benedictus Krankenhaus, Tutzing, Alemania.
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Beisse
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Neurocirugía, Hospital Quirón, Valencia, España. Electronic address: franciscoverdu@hotmail.es.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Verdú-López
mesh_terms: D001863:Bone Screws; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003475:Curettage / Q000379:methods; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000379:methods; D057918:Fiducial Markers; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D059032:Learning Curve; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D056888:Patient Positioning; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000379:methods; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D054854:Vertebroplasty / Q000379:methods
keywords: Abordaje transdiafragmático; Cirugía endoscópica de la columna; Cirugía mínimamente invasiva de la columna; Cirugía torácica videoasistida; Endoscopic spine surgery; Fracturas vertebrales; Minimally invasive spinal surgery; Thoracoscopy; Toracoscopia; Transdiaphragmatic approach; Vertebral fractures; Video-assisted thoracic surgery