Videothorascopic surgery for thoracic neurogenic tumors: A 7-year experience

While videothoracoscopic surgery has rapidly become accepted as an effectiv e method of performing minimally invasive surgery, the advantages and feasi bility of using this surgical technique for the treatment of neurogenic tum ors of the thorax are not yet well defined. Between August 1992 and May 199 9, 15 solitary thoracic neurogenic tumors were surgically excised using vid eothoracoscopic surgery in our hospital. The patients comprised sir; women and nine men, with a mean age of 38.1 years. The mean tumor size was 3.5 cm , with a range of 1.5-6.5 cm and included 12 schwannomas. 2 ganglioneuromas , and I neurofibroma. Among the 15 patients, 4 were treated using videothor acoscopic surgery plus minithoracotomy. The only complication associated wi th videothoracoscopic surgery was hoarseness which developed in one patient . Our experience indicates that videothoracoscopic surgery is a useful alte rnative to facilitate the excision of small thoracic neurogenic tumors.