Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
Electromagnetic Navigation Transthoracic Nodule Localization for Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Published on: May 4, 2022
[Locating pulmonary nodules with a computed axial tomography-guided harpoon prior to videothoracoscopic resection.
Laureano Molins1, Eduard Mauri, Marcelo Sánchez
1Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital Universitari Sagrat Cor (HUSC), Barcelona, España; Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital Clínic, Barcelona, España.
Objective:
Videothoracoscopic (VTC) resection of peripheral pulmonary nodules (PN) occasionally requires performing a mini-thoracotomy to locate them using palpation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of inserting a CT-guided harpoon as a method for locating PN prior to surgery.
Material And Methods:
A study was conducted on a total of 52 patients who were scheduled for locating 55 PN prior to surgery by inserting a CT-guided harpoon, from November 2004 to January 2011.
Results:
Of the 52 patients, of whom 35 had a history of cancer, 31 were male and 21 were female, with ages between 28 and 84 years (mean: 62.2 years) with a PN <20mm (mean: 9.57mm). A total of 55 harpoons were inserted (3 patients had 2 simultaneous harpoons). Using the VTC it was observed that 52 harpoons were correctly anchored to the PN. There were no complications. In the group of 35 patients with an oncology history, the nodules were malignant in 26 cases (74.3%), and there were 17 (70.6%) with malignant PN in those with no oncology history. The hospital stay varied between 4 and 72h, with 19 patients (36.5%) included in a one-day surgery program.
Conclusions:
The preoperative identification of peripheral pulmonary nodules enables them to be removed directly with VTC. The insertion of a CT-guided harpoon in the PN is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed in a one-day surgery program.
