Résection chirurgicale des métastases pulmonaires : pour une approche moins invasive

Surgical resection of pulmonary metastases is questionable since its benefits are difficult to evaluate. However, when surgery is decided, it is usual to operate on these patients via thoracotomy or sternotomy in order to perform a complete resection and, for some surgeons, to add a lymph node dissection. This invasive attitude has an inherent morbidity, and results in difficulties when reoperations are necessary, a frequent situation in these patients. The good results of thoracoscopic resections in terms of morbidity, hospital stay and survival must lead to propose this alternate solution to those of the patients with a limited number of metastases. The main arguments supporting this attitude are exposed.