Modern impact of video assisted thoracic surgery

The tremendous success of laparoscopic surgery in the late 1980s and early 1990s gave impetus to thoracic surgeons to adapt and apply this technology on the other side of the diaphragm. Thoracoscopy or more correctly termed video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) became possible with advancement in endoscopic video systems and endoscopic surgical staplers. In 1993, a VATS study group was formed and a review of more than 1800 cases was published (1). Wedge resection for solitary pulmonary nodule and interventions for pleural disorders were the most commonly performed VATS procedures in this study and the conversion rate was 24%. During these early years of adaptation VATS was primarily used for basic procedures like drainage of pleural effusion, biopsy of pleura or lung and pleurodesis. With time and experience thoracic surgeons started to master more advanced and technically challenging cases