[Technology on Partial Resection and Segmentectomy for Early-stage Lung Cancer]

Area of Science:

• Thoracic Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Pulmonary Medicine

Background:

• Increasing population of lung cancer patients unsuitable for lobectomy due to comorbidities or age.
• Rising incidence of small, peripheral, and early-stage (N0) lung cancers.
• Growing need for less invasive surgical options like sublobar resection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe advanced surgical technologies for sublobar lung resection.
• To highlight the utility of virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP) and selective segmental inflation.
• To demonstrate improved precision in thoracoscopic partial lung resection.

Main Methods:

• Virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP): A bronchoscopic technique using 3D virtual imaging and dye marking for precise tumor localization.
• Selective segmental inflation: A method to inflate the target lung segment, creating a visible intersegmental plane for resection.
• Application in thoracoscopic partial lung resection and segmentectomy.

Main Results:

• VAL-MAP effectively guides the localization of impalpable small lung cancers.
• VAL-MAP aids in visualizing intersegmental/intersubsegmental planes for accurate segmentectomy.
• Selective segmental inflation allows clear identification of resection margins relative to the tumor under thoracoscopy.

Conclusions:

• Virtual-assisted lung mapping and selective segmental inflation are valuable tools for precise sublobar lung resections.
• These techniques enhance the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surgery for selected lung cancer patients.
• Improved visualization and localization contribute to better surgical outcomes in thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery.