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Thoracic duct lymphangioma is a rare mediastinal tumor. Most patients are asymptomatic. Symptoms may include dysphagia, dyspnea, cough, or chest pain. Workup may include chest computed tomography or lymphangiography, or both. Surgery should be considered the treatment of choice. We present a 60-year-old man with a 2.4-cm mass in the retro-cardiac space to the right of the esophagus. The patient underwent a thoracoscopic resection of the mass with ligation of the thoracic duct. We conclude that video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery allows for safe evaluation and resection of mediastinal pathology.

A video-assisted thoracic surgery approach to en bloc resection of lung cancer invading the chest wall is described. Using a minimally invasive surgical approach combined with neoadjuvant external beam radiotherapy, complete resection of an upper lobe carcinoma invading two rib segments was performed in a manner that permitted complete resection with curative intent and allowed for rapid recovery.

Background: This study was performed to evaluate and determine the validity and benefits of video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled pulmonary lobectomy without rib spreading., Methods: Between September 1992 and August 1995, 100 consecutive video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomies without rib spreading were performed., Results: Forty-five male and 55 female patients had 24 right upper, 8 right middle, 29 right lower, 24 left upper, 15 left lower lobectomies for 66 adenocarcinomas, 20 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 large cell carcinomas, 8 benign lesions, and 2 metastatic lesions. Seventy-six patients had negative nodes. Nine patients had positive nodes. Every bronchoscopy was visually and cytologically negative. Forty-nine cervical mediastinoscopies were negative. Operating time for the series averaged 90.3 minutes. Hospitalization averaged 3.5 days for the entire group, but was 2.6 days for the last 20 patients. Lesions ranged from 1.5 to 8 cm, averaging 3.4 cm. There was no surgical mortality, no hemorrhage, no transfusion, and no urgent conversion to an open procedure. No bronchial fistula, vascular fistula, or bronchovascular fistula has occurred. Complications included 6 air leaks, 2 cerebrovascular accidents, 1 infected chest tube site, 2 cases of pneumonitis, and 1 subcutaneous emphysema., Conclusions: Video-assisted thoracic surgical simultaneously stapled lobectomy without rib spreading is a safe operation that can be combined with lymph node sampling. At this early stage, therapeutic outcomes (survival) for resected neoplasms appear similar to results obtained from traditional open techniques.

Diffuse bullous disease of the lungs remains an unrelentless, debilitating, terminal disease. Intensive medical therapy can give transient relief of symptoms. Thoracotomy and resection has not always been successful and can be associated with an increased mortality and morbidity. Eight patients with end-stage bullous disease, unresponsive to medical therapy and not considered to be candidates for a thoracotomy, underwent unilateral video-assisted thoracic surgical ablation of bullae using the Argon Beam Coagulator. Six men and 2 women ranging in age from 28 to 71 years reported a decrease in dyspnea. Three patients restudied had an increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 34%. Postoperatively, 7 patients had an air leak, pneumonia developed in 2 patients, and 3 patients had massive subcutaneous emphysema after parietal pleurectomy. Hospitalization averaged 13.6 days. All patients made a complete recovery, and each was subjectively improved. Steroid use decreased, oxygen requirements decreased, dyspneic episodes decreased, infections decreased, and endurance increased. In 3 patients with a limited follow-up evaluated postoperatively, video-assisted thoracic surgery and the Argon Beam Coagulator seemed to be beneficial for treating advanced, generalized bullous disease.

A simple method for placing specimens in a protective bag during video-assisted thoracic surgery has been developed. The equipment is readily available, and the technique is easy to perform.

Forty patients with malignant pulmonary disease underwent evaluation, staging, and a biopsy or resection by means of video-assisted thoracic surgery. There were 20 men and 20 women whose ages ranged from 27 to 82 years. Eight patients had a wedge resection for metastatic carcinoma, three a lobectomy for primary carcinoma, six exploration of the thorax, five biopsy of the aortopulmonary window, and eighteen a sublobar resection for primary carcinoma of the lung. There was no mortality. Three patients had air leaks that lasted an average of 8 days. Video-assisted thoracic surgery seems to be useful for more precise staging of carcinoma of the lung, and, in some patients, resectional operations can be performed.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery is a new modality that allows visualization of and access to the intrathoracic organs without making a thoracotomy incision. One hundred consecutive patients underwent 113 thoracic procedures using this technique. Eight wedge resections for metastatic lesions, 6 pericardial windows, 1 bronchogenic cystectomy, 4 explorations of the aortopulmonary window, 1 decortication, 5 pleural scleroses, 8 bullous ablations, 25 lung biopsies, 19 wedge resections for carcinoma, 9 explorations of the thorax, 3 lobectomies, 1 esophageal cystectomy, 14 wedge resections for benign lesions, 4 pleurectomies, 1 excision of a neurogenic tumor, 3 mediastinal explorations, and 1 imaged axillary dissection were performed. There was no mortality. Ten patients had complications from which they recovered completely. Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic operations seem to have reduced postoperative pain, shorter hospitalization, and quicker recovery times. Currently, this new modality appears to have beneficial value for patients; however, only further experience will determine its true merits.

Imaged thoracic surgery is a new modality that is rapidly gaining acceptance from thoracic surgeons. Procedures that traditionally required a thoracotomy can now be done successfully using this technique in some patients. Three patients with primary carcinoma of the lung have undergone lobectomy using imaged thoracic surgery.

Previously, intrathoracic organs have been approached by either thoracotomy or thoracoscopy. A technique, imaged thoracoscopic surgery, using video optics and projection of images on a screen provides another option for the thoracic surgeon. Two patients with mediastinal cysts, one bronchogenic and one esophageal, underwent surgical removal using imaged thoracoscopic surgery. Postoperative pain was markedly reduced, hospitalization shortened, and recovery accelerated. Numerous complex surgical procedures can be performed using imaged thoracoscopic surgery.