[Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopic Surgery for Mediastinal Lesions]

This review article describes minimally invasive thoracoscopic surgery for anterior mediastinal lesions. The operative procedures for anterior mediastinal lesions have been changed in a couple of decades from open surgery under median sternotomy to complete thoracoscopic mediastinal surgery with sternal lifting or carbon dioxide insufflation. Carbon dioxide insufflation of the thoracic cavity or the mediastinum is now prevailing to improve the surgical field and facilitate the operative procedures. Surgical indications for complete thoracoscopic mediastinal surgery include benign cystic lesions generally regardless of their size and non-invasive anterior mediastinal tumors usually less than 50~60 mm in the greatest dimension. There are currently three surgical approaches in the complete thoracoscopic surgery for the anterior mediastinal lesions. One is the unilateral or bilateral transthoracic approach. The second is the combination of the subxiphoid and the transthoracic approach. The last is the subxiphoid approach. The selection of the surgical approach depends on the surgeon's preference and experiences. When carbon dioxide insufflation is applied during the operation, following complications may occur;hypercapnia, gas embolism, subcutaneous emphysema, endotracheal tube dislocation due to the mediastinal sift, and hypotention. Special safety considerations are necessary during the complete thoracoscopic mediastinal surgery with carbon dioxide insufflation.