EVALUATION OF VIDEO-ASSISTED THORACIC SURGERY IN PEDIATRICS

Abstract

Video-assisted thoracic surgery has been adopted in adults for many years, yet it’s application in pediatrics is still limited and infrequently reported in literature.In 2000, Rothenberg was the first to report thoracoscopic lobectomy in pediatrics. The use of VATS in children has been an area of interest among surgeons. With more experience gainedand the availability of better thoracoscopic instruments, even the old absolute contraindications for VATS are now being revised.VATS allows directexamination of the thoracic cavity, for both diagnostic or therapeutic purposes, without the big conventional thoracotomy and thereby avoids extensive chest walldamage. On the other hand, conventional thoracotomy involves extensive muscle cutting and rib spreading, which leads to significant postoperative pain and deformities.Therefore, VATS is superior to thoracotomy in reducing musculoskeletal sequelae as scoliosis and muscle weakness, which is important in developing children and has a great impact on their quality of life.AIM:This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency, safety andfeasibility of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in pediatrics.