Video-assisted anatomic mediobasal segmentectomy of lung

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Pulmonary Medicine
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is increasingly standard for lung resections.
• Pulmonary segmentectomy, particularly of the mediobasal segment, is infrequently performed via VATS.
• Indications for segmentectomy include benign and malignant conditions.

Observation:

• A case series of three patients undergoing VATS pulmonary segmentectomy is presented.
• Indications included arteriovenous malformations, lung metastases from colon cancer, and metastases from a diaphragmatic solitary fibrous tumor.
• Procedures performed were solitary mediobasal segmentectomy (two patients) and combined ventrobasal and mediobasal bisegmentectomy (one patient).

Findings:

• VATS allowed for excellent visualization and exposure during all segmentectomies.
• All procedures were completed without complications.
• Mediobasal segmentectomy was technically feasible using VATS in these diverse clinical scenarios.

Implications:

• VATS is a viable approach for pulmonary segmentectomy, including the challenging mediobasal segment.
• This technique expands the applicability of minimally invasive surgery for lung segment resections.
• Further research may establish VATS segmentectomy as a preferred alternative to open procedures.