Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of recurrent intrapulmonary bronchogenic cyst after thoracotomy

Intrapulmonary bronchogenic cysts are typically treated surgically by lobectomy to completely excise the cyst to minimize risk for recurrence. Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery is being used with increasing frequency to manage intrathoracic pathology. We present a patient who underwent resection of a bronchogenic cyst 20 years before. She developed a symptomatic recurrence, and video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was used to lyse adhesions from her previous posterolateral thoracotomy and perform an intraparenchymal dissection to resect the pathologic lesion while sparing the remaining parenchyma of her right upper lobe. At 2 years of follow-up, the patient is without evidence of recurrence.