Image-assisted video assisted thoracic surgery (iVATS): an important tool in the armamentarium against lung cancer

摘要

Image assisted thoracic surgery is becoming increasingly popular across the world with the advent of technological advances and increasing availability of hybrid operating rooms across the world ( ). There is a fast accumulating body of literature both clinical and research comparing the traditional video assisted thoracic surgery approach with image assisted thoracic surgery ( - ). The need to augment traditional approaches is influenced by the growing need to triage the large number of suspicious pulmonary nodules found during screening trials ( - ), majority of the pulmonary nodules deemed concerning for malignancy are either too small or do not have the density to be adequately palpated during resection. Additionally, as the life expectancy improves across the world, we now have a significant proportion of patients who are above the age of 85 years, at risk of malignancy and in need of therapies with minimum morbidity. Therefore, innovative techniques such as iVATS will become standard of care in the near future.