Abstract
Surgical techniques involving the endoscopic evaluation and treatment of diseases
of the chest have progressed from their origins in the early 1900s to the modern era
of video-assisted, minimally invasive thoracic surgery. As the surgical techniques
and instrumentation evolve, the role of video-assisted surgery in a modern general
thoracic surgical practice continues to be debated and to change accordingly. This
review describes the current role of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in the
management of diseases of the lung (bronchogenic carcinoma, emphysema, and interstitial
disease), pleura (pleural effusions and empyema), and mediastinum (tumors and cysts,
autonomic dysfunction, and pericardial disease).
Key Words:
Thoracoscopy - minimally invasive thoracic surgery - VATS
