Asian perspectives in thoracic surgery: clinical innovation in Taiwan

The development of minimally-invasive surgery of the thorax began in the 1990s, but not until the recent decade did we see dramatic improvements in patient care and refinement of technique. The current generation has witnessed the evolution from traditional thoracotomy, to a single-port, non-intubated thoracoscopic approach. The investigation of subxiphoid single-port, transumbilical approach, and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) in animal model are also undergoing. In Taiwan, several talented young surgeons have vigorously devoted their ideas and innovations to this field, making the Taiwan surgical society vivid and prosperous. The desire to improve, and willingness to change are the foundation of those surgeons. Providing better patient care is their impetus to strive for improvement. This article provides an account of how minimally-invasive thoracic surgery has evolved in recent years, and what clinical innovations have been developed by the Taiwan surgical society.