Nonintubated video-assisted thoracic surgery under epidural anesthesia—Encouraging early results encourage randomized trials

摘要

Nonintubated video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS)that is also defined awake VATS entails thoracoscopic procedures performed by regional anesthesia in spontaneously ventilating,mildly sedated or fully awake patients.The rationale is the avoidance of side-effects of intubated general anesthesia with single-lung mechanical ventilation,and maintenance of a more physiologic muscular,neurologic,and cardiopulmonary status,in order to minimize the