Uni-Incisional Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Left Lower Lobectomy in a Patient with an Incomplete Fissure

Abstract

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was introduced nearly two decades ago. Since then, there has been a rapid development in minimal invasive techniques for lung cancer treatment. The common approach is the one performed through three incisions, including a utility incision of ~3 to 5 cm. However, lobectomy can be performed by using only two incisions (one camera port and working incision). A few clinics perform this approach. We began the two-incision technique in our institution in February 2009. After performing 95 cases with this technique, we observed that for lower lobes the second incision could be eliminated, and we performed the surgery by using only the 4-cm utility incision. This article describes a case report of a 57-year-old woman operated by this uni-incisional approach for a lower lobe video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.