Uniportal VATS lobectomy

Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery (uniportal VATS) lobectomy represents the last evolution of minimally invasive techniques for the surgical treatment of lung cancer. Uniportal VATS was developed from two-ports approach, with two main advantages: only one intercostal space is damaged and the direct view to the target tissue. Improvements in camera systems, instruments and stapler technology have facilitated this development. The operative technique is well defined for the different lobectomies and for the mediastinal lymphadenectomy. The parallel instrumentation achieved during the single port approach mimics the inside maneuvers performed during open surgery, together with the direct view facilitates the dissection and division of the hilar structures and the fissure. This makes possible the direct transition from open surgery to uniportal VATS. Uniportal VATS is feasible and reproducible. This is why its use is spreading in many centers in Spain, Europe and Asia, with good results. Training at centers with major experience or in wetlabs, and the proper patient selection are the best recommendations for the learning curve. In our center, as we gain experience with the approach, we performed advanced cases with similar results to the initial stages. Segmentectomies, bronchovascular reconstructions and selected cases that need chest wall resection were also carried out by uniportal VATS. The last advance is the uniportal VATS lobectomy in non-intubated patients with spontaneous breathing, the less invasive surgical approach in combination with a less invasive anesthetic management.