Cardiothoracic Surgery
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Excerpt
Cardiothoracic surgery continues to be a dynamic field with new developments arising from a variety of sources. In the last 2 years the necessity for making a major incision for a thoracic operation has been challenged, and in many instances it has been replaced by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. This technique uses several small incisions (1 to 2 cm) on the chest wall through which a thoracoscope and endoscopic instruments can be introduced and manipulated. An image is captured on a video monitor by a miniature camera attached to the thoracoscope. The advantages of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery over thoracotomy are decreased postoperative pain, shorter hospitalization, and faster patient recovery.1 The technique does require single-lung ventilation with collapse of the ipsilateral lung, and therefore general anesthesia and a double-lumen endotracheal tube are needed.
Video-assisted techniques have replaced the standard open thoracotomy approaches for most simple thoracic operations. Procedures that are now
