STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE Comparison of the mini-thoracotomy (mini-TTA) and thoracoscopy for the treatment of calcified thoracic herniated disc. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Thoracoscopy has been popularized at the cost of the traditional thoracotomy for the treatment of calcified herniated discs. However, the learning curve is steep. Given the low incidence of hern...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Video-assisted thoracoscopy has been successfully used for several different thoracic procedures in adults. However, its use in children has been limited. The present study evaluated our experience with video-assisted thoracoscopy in the diagnosis of mediastinal masses in children. METHODS Nine children (age range, 3 to 18 years) with undiagnosed mediastinal masses u...

OBJECTIVE Conventional thoracoscopy, routinely performed in patients with pleural diseases, is not always conclusive in staging of pleural spread. Fluorescence diagnosis (FD) with 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) has been used in the diagnostic purpose for various malignancies. The impact of fluorescence thoracoscopy on diagnosis and staging of pleural malignancies was examined. METHODS A total...

PURPOSE This study attempted to define an optimum animal model for neonatal thoracoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seven rabbits and three 5-7-kg piglets were subjected to thoracoscopy by three pediatric surgeons. The outcome for the successful completion of esophageal anastomosis and additional procedures, including diaphragmatic plication and lung biopsy, were noted. RESULTS Whereas esophage...

BACKGROUND Pleural empyema can be subdivided into 3 stages: exudative, multiloculated, and organizing. In the absence of clear septation, antibiotics plus simple drainage of pleural fluid is often sufficient treatment, whereas clear septation often requires more invasive treatment. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to report our experience and analyze the safety and efficacy of medical tho...

Thoracoscopy is a highly effective procedure for treating spontaneous pneumothorax. This article describes the lesions of pneumothorax and reviews four stages of spontaneous pneumothorax, as well as treatment by thoracoscopy.

Thoracoscopy is a useful method for diagnosing plural lesions. We diagnosed 3 cases of ovarian adenocarcinoma by thoracoscopy. All patients were middle-aged and elderly women. Initial examination revealed intrathoracic lesions including pleural effusion, but intraperitoneal lesions were unclear. In all cases, adequate samples of tumor cells obtained using thoracoscopy were used in the identific...

BACKGROUND Thoracoscopy is highly sensitive and accurate for detecting pleural effusions. However, most respiratory physicians are not familiar with the use of the more common rigid thoracoscope or the flexible bronchoscope, which is difficult to manipulate within the pleural cavity. The semi-rigid thoracoscope combines the best features of the flexible and rigid instruments. Since the practice...

OBJECTIVE To assess a standard classification of adverse events and evaluate the safety and long-term outcome of thoracoscopy in patients with pleural disease. DESIGN Prospective nonrandomized cohort study. SETTING The Pulmonary Special Procedures and Nd:YAG Laser Unit of the University of California San Diego Medical Center, San Diego. PATIENTS Fifty consecutive patients undergoing thora...