Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Lobectomy for Stage I Lung Cancer

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is an appealing alternative to thoracotomy for lobectomy in patients who have stage I lung cancer. The success of laparoscopy in the 1980s and improved endoscopic video systems and endoscopic staplers led thoracic surgeons to apply this technology to the chest cavity. Since the first VATS lobectomy with anatomic hilar dissection performed in 1992, investigators from around the world have published small series that report the safety and advantages of this approach. This article reviews the current literature of VATS lobectomy for stage I lung cancer.