Mediterranean symposium in thoracic surgery: opening lectures

Endoscopy is a non-surgical medical technique used to examine a person's internal organs and vessels. This lesson will focus on two types of endoscopic studies: bronchoscopy and thoracoscopy.
Bronchoscopy
Description
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves direct visualization of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A flexible fiber optic or rigid bronchoscope is used to carry out the procedure. The fiber-optic bronchoscope is more frequently used due...

Thoracentesis(Thoracocentesis), commonly known as pleural tap, is a medical procedure where a 22 gauge needle is inserted into the pleural space, the area between the lung and chest wall. This procedure is commonly performed to diagnose or treat various respiratory disorders.
Description
Excess pleural fluid or air may accumulate in some respiratory disorders in the thoracic cavity. To treat pleural effusion, a physician conducts thoracentesis by carefully piercing the chest wall and entering...

Pneumothorax means the presence of air in the pleural space — the thin potential gap between the visceral and parietal pleura. This condition disrupts the normal pressure balance that keeps the lungs inflated, leading to partial or complete collapse of the affected lung.Normal physiologyUnder normal conditions, the pleural space maintains a slightly negative intrapleural pressure, which keeps the lungs expanded against the chest wall. This negative pressure creates a delicate balance...

Ribs are curved, flattened bones forming the thoracic cavity wall with the thoracic muscles. There are 12 pairs of thoracic ribs. The posterior ends of all the ribs articulate with the T1–T12 thoracic vertebrae. In contrast,the anterior ends of most ribs attach to the sternum via their costal cartilages.
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal...

The thoracic or rib cage forms the body's thorax (chest) portion. Its primary function in the body is to protect vital organs in the thoracic cavity, such as the heart and the lungs. It consists of 12 pairs of ribs with their costal cartilages and the sternum. The ribs are anchored posteriorly to the 12 thoracic vertebrae (T1-T12).
The sternum is the elongated bony structure on the anterior side of the thoracic cage. It consists of three parts: the manubrium, the body, and the xiphoid...

Pleural effusion is an abnormal fluid accumulation in the pleural cavity, a narrow space between the lungs and the chest wall. It is not a disease per se but rather a symptom or indication of an underlying disease. In normal circumstances, this space contains a small amount of fluid (5 to 15 mL), a lubricant facilitating the non-frictional movement of the pleural surfaces.
There are two main types of pleural effusion: transudative and exudative. They are differentiated using Light's...