Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann 2007;15:511-514
© 2007 Asia Publishing EXchange Ltd
Novel Method of Thoracoscopic Surgery for Giant Bulla without Residual Cavity
Tomoki Utsumi, MD,
Akinori Akashi, MD,
Soichiro Funaki, MD
Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Takarazuka Municipal Hospital Hyogo, Japan
For reprint information contact: Tomoki Utsumi, MD, Tel: 81 6 6879 3152, Fax: 81 6 6879 3163, Email: utsumi{at}surg1.med.osaka-u.ac.jp, Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2, Yamadaoka, E-1, Suita-City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
A giant bulla is generally resected by thoracoscopic surgery. Resection using an automated stapling device is popular, however, a number of cartridges may be consumed and a cavity is sometimes left remaining, especially when resecting wide-based lesions. To establish a thoracoscopic surgical procedure that results in no residual cavity, we developed a method in which the roof of the bulla is resected first, followed by resection of the pulmonary parenchyma, including the base of the bulla, using a stapling device. Exposure of the base by first removing the roof facilitates determination of the resection line. Between 2003 and 2005, the procedure was attempted in 6 patients, which included one bilateral case. Conversion to a minithoracotomy was required in one patient because of bulla thickening. The operating time ranged from 80 to 150 min (median, 135 min) in the other 6 cases. Postoperative chest drainage ranged from 2 to 13 days (median, 3 days), and postoperative hospital stay was 5 to 18 days (median, 6 days). No adverse events occurred. We found this procedure to be simple and useful for complete resection of giant bullae.
Copyright © 2007 by the Asia Publishing EXchange Ltd.
