THORACIC STAGING BY VIDEOTHORACOSCOPY - A NEW TECHNIQUE

We are describing a technique of pre resectional staging of thoracic n eoplasm by video assisted thoracic surgical (VATS) techniques. This me thod was applied on 27 patients, when the lymph nodes II, III, IV, VII , VIII and IX were biopsied or excised. In two cases (2) we were force d to proceed to open thoracoyomy for staging because of extensive adhe sion. In the other 25 patients, the surgical staging was the same as t he VATS staging in 92% of the cases. This technic has obvious advantag es for lower mediastinal nodes (100%). VATS should be considered among other staging procedure for thoracic neoplasms.