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Updated: Dec 13, 2025

Electromagnetic Navigation Transthoracic Nodule Localization for Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Published on: May 4, 2022
[Preliminary Application of Body Surface Theodolitic Puncture Localization Method in Thoracoscopic Surgery of
Kun Lv1, Yongsheng Meng2, Tong Zhang3
1Department of Thoracic Surgery, Longgang Central Hospital of Shenzhen City, Shenzhen 518116, China.
Background:
How to locate pulmonary ground-glass nodules in thoracoscopic surgery is an important clinical topic in minimally invasive thoracic surgery. There is no unified localization method at present. This study intends to investigate the accuracy and security of body surface theodolitic puncture localization method in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for pulmonary ground-glass nodules.
Methods:
The clinical data of 41 patients from August 2018 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively, including 28 males and 13 females. After anesthesia, the patient was located by body surface theodolitic puncture, and then partial lobectomy was performed under video-assisted thoracoscopy. The distance from the nodule to the marked suture and the distance from the nodule to the incisal margin were measured, and the accuracy of localization, the rate of complication and the success rate of surgical resection were calculated.
Results:
A total of 51 nodules in 41 patients were located by body surface theodolitic puncture localization method. The accuracy rate was 96.1%, and the average location time was 8.3 min. Puncture bleeding occurred in 5 cases (12.2%), all of which were successfully stopped by video-assisted thoracoscopy, and there were no other complications. All patients underwent thoracoscopic partial lobectomy, including 33 cases of anatomical segmentectomy and 8 cases of wedge lobectomy. All the patients in operation process smoothly. The distance between nodule and incisal margin was measured, and all specimens were more than 2 cm, reaching a safe distance. The success rate of surgical resection was 100.0%.
Conclusions:
In video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for ground glass nodules of lung, the body surface theodolitic puncture localization method can be accurate, safe and simple.
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