Introduction: The treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusion (PPE) and thoracic empyema (TE) is controversial; and the choice of treatment after confirming the failure of simple drainage remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of intrapleural urokinase (UK) administration and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) as initial treatment options for PPE and...

Introduction: Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is now commonly used for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. In the present study we compared the outcomes of this technique with those obtained by conventional thoracotomy.Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional stud, forty patients were enrolled into two groups: VATS (n=20) and thoracotomy (n=20). In both groups the blebs were resected ...

BACKGROUND The benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) have been demonstrated over the past decades; as a result, VATS has become the gold-standard treatment for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Due to improvements in surgical technique and equipment, single-port VATS (s-VATS) is emerging as an alternative approach to conventional three-port VATS (t-VATS). The aim of this...

introduction: video-assisted thoracic surgery (vats) is now commonly used for primary spontaneous pneumothorax. in the present study we compared the outcomes of this technique with those obtained by conventional thoracotomy.material and methods: in this cross-sectional stud, forty patients were enrolled into two groups: vats (n=20) and thoracotomy (n=20). in both groups the blebs were resected ...

BACKGROUND Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is widely performed in patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. However, it is unknown whether VATS sublobar resection has advantages compared with VATS lobectomy in preserving pulmonary function. METHODS Three hundred patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent VATS were enrolled. Pulmonary function tests were perf...

BACKGROUND The role of video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) is still being defined in the management of thoracic trauma. We report our trauma cases managed by VATS and review the role of VATS in the management of thoracic trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS All the trauma patients who underwent VATS from 2000 to 2007 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center were retrospectively studied. RESULTS Twen...

BACKGROUND Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is a standard treatment for lung cancer. This study retrospectively compared long-term outcomes after VATS lobectomy versus lobectomy via open thoracotomy for clinical stage IA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS From July 2002 to June 2012, 160 patients were diagnosed with clinical stage IA NSCLC and underwent lobectomy. Of ...

introduction: the treatment of complicated parapneumonic effusion (ppe) and thoracic empyema (te) is controversial; and the choice of treatment after confirming the failure of simple drainage remains unclear. the purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of intrapleural urokinase (uk) administration and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (vats) as initial treatment options for ppe and...

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is safe, oncologically effective, and increasingly utilized for lung cancer resection. Lessons from VATS lobectomy experience can guide the use of a VATS approach to resect mediastinal masses. Exposure and dissection when using VATS to resect anterior mediastinal masses has unique challenges. Several maneuvers acquired from experience with V...