BACKGROUND Recurrent episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax can be managed medically or surgically by various methods, video assisted thoracoscopy being the latest and most attractive. METHODS A retrospective analysis was made of 43 pleural abrasions performed in 39 patients through a 4-6 cm axillary thoracotomy incision. RESULTS There were no deaths and complications were few. At a mean foll...

Trans-cervical resection of posterior mediastinal goiters is usually very difficult, requiring a high thoracotomy. Until recently, using conventional video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery to resect such tumors has been technically difficult and unsafe. By virtue of 3 dimensional visualization, greater dexterity, and more accurate dissection, the Da Vinci robot, for the first time, enables a comp...

The diagnosis of spontaneous pneumomediastinum in an acute hospital setting can present as a challenge. We present a case of 32 year Caucasian male with gradual swelling of his face and neck with increasing hoarseness of voice. He was treated for anaphylaxis with little improvement. He underwent a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery procedure (VATS) with a definite diagnosis of sub pleural bleb.

The success and evolution of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) renewed the interest for thoracoscopic operations in awake patients. Non-intubated, or tubeless, procedures found progressive credit and uptake. In particular, non-intubated uniportal VATS represents the latest stage in its evolution. An increasing number of more complicated procedures have been successfully carried out with this

Ectopic mediastinal parathyroid adenomas or hyperplasias account for up to 25% of primary hyperparathyroidism cases. Most abnormal parathyroid glands are found in the superior mediastinum within the thymus and can be removed through a cervical incision; however, a few of these glands are not accessible using standard cervical surgical approaches. Surgical resection has traditionally been perfor...

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is a surgical procedure with low morbidity or mortality rate in thoracic surgery; even in more complicated lung resection is required. Consequently, in simple procedures, such as pleural biopsies or diagnostic pleuroscopy, the complication rate is very low. Evidence based studies have conclude that patients with limited pulmonary function have better ...

Spontaneous pneumothorax remains a significant health problem. However, with time, there have been improvements in pathogenesis, diagnostic procedures and both medical and surgical approaches to treatment. Owing to better imaging techniques, it is now clear that there is almost no normal visceral pleura in the case of spontaneous pneumothorax, and that blebs and bullae are not always the cause ...

BACKGROUND Involuntary craniofacial erythema, or blushing, due to autonomic dysfunction can be a cause of psychological distress. Although anecdotal reports have suggested that pharmacologic treatments or cognitive behavioral therapy can be used to treat the condition, no rigorous analyses of their efficacy have been reported. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic ...