Abstract
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is rapidly replacing standard thoracotomy in the evaluation and treatment of intrathoracic diseases. Video-assisted thoracic surgical lung biopsy has become a common alternative to open lung biopsy for diagnosis of localized and diffuse lung diseases. Recently developed thoracoscopic surgical equipment and related instruments have enabled thoracoscopic surgical procedures to be improved. VATS was performed in 60 cases in our department from November 1992 to December 1994. The indications for VATS were spontaneous pneumothorax (41 cases), interstitial lung disease (5 cases), benign lung tumor (3 cases), malignant lung tumor (3 cases), mediastinal tumor (2 cases), mediastinal lymph node swelling (2 cases), pleural tumor (2 cases), and pleuritis of unknown cause (2 cases) . We conclude that VATS is especially useful in the diagnosis and management of pneumothorax, diffuse lung disease, mediastinal and chest wall tumors, pulmonary nodule, pleuritis, and cardiovascular diseases.
