Thoracoscopic Pulmonary Resection

Thoracoscopy was first performed by Jacobaeus in 1910 [1] to divide pleural adhesions. However, because of limited instrumentation and poor visualization, this technique received little enthusiasm over the subsequent 80 years [2]. With the introduction of solid-state video technology in the past 5 years, thoracoscopy (now referred to as video-assisted thoracic surgery [VATS] has become an essential technique in the diagnosis and management of numerous categories of general thoracic surgery [3]. This chapter describes VATS for pulmonary wedge resection.