title: Handmade guiding tip using a Nélaton tube for endostapler application to pulmonary vessels.
abstract: Pulmonary vessel stapling is the most important but challenging part of thoracoscopic pulmonary lobar and segmental resection. Many thoracoscopy specialists guide the stapler with an introducer to apply staples. Since the introduction of the modified stapler with a curved and angular anvil tip, more surgeons have come to prefer stapling pulmonary vessels without guidance. However, many problems remain with the use of this new product in current clinical practice. Here we propose an easy method with an additional handmade Nélaton tube applied at the anvil tip of the stapler. Through this safe and low-cost modification, pulmonary vessels can be stapled without the aid of an introducer, reducing the possibility of vascular injury during the looping and dividing of the pulmonary vessels by the stapler.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shun-Mao
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jin-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jang-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D004209:Disposable Equipment; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000601:surgery*; D013528:Surgical Staplers; D017792:Surgical Stapling / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D062885:Urinary Catheters