title: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery node dissection for lung cancer treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Mediastinal node dissection (MND) is an integral component of the surgical treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been used increasingly for lung cancer treatment, the accuracy of by VATS MND still remains controversial. We reviewed the surgical results of VATS MND for NSCLC.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of literature was performed, and articles that fully described the surgical procedure, devices, and results of VATS MND were selected to compare the efficacy of MND by VATS and thoracotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Various techniques and equipments have been shown to perform adequate MND, but there is an argument as to the method of estimation of the accuracy of MND. Most of the recent studies showed that the nodal upstaging and number of dissected nodes are significantly lower by VATS than after thoracotomy. Oppositely, some studies showed VATS noninferiority in these issues. Complications such as chylothorax, pleural effusion, bleeding, and nerve damage were similar in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although ND by VATS remains controversial, VATS MND is becoming easier and more feasible owing to the development of more advanced endoscopic cameras and equipments. We should learn further to become more adept at performing adequate ND by VATS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan. astushiw@sapmed.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Taijiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mishina
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Kodai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsuruta
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryunosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maki
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South 1, West 16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, 060-8543, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tada
mesh_terms: D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D020775:Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Lung cancer; Node dissection; Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery