Guidelines on surgery of the thoracic sympathetic nervous system.

Thoracic sympathetic nervous system (TSNS) surgery has increased in importance in the last few years, generating great expectations among the general population and the scientific community. This has been due to the excellent results obtained by videothoracoscopy-assisted thoracic sympathectomy in the treatment of essential hyperhidrosis and other TSNS disorders. This minimally invasive surgical technique has been shown to be effective, and with a low morbidity it is accepted as one of the best therapeutic options for the treatment of palmar and bilateral axillary hyperhidrosis and the number of patients consulting with the intention of having the operation has increased considerably.

[Exploratory videothoracoscopy and videopericardioscopy in the definitive staging and assessment of resectability of lung cancer].

Objective: We present our experience in using videothoracoscopy for the staging and assessment of resectability of lung cancer.

Patients And Methods: Since 1993 we have carried out exploratory videothoracoscopy (EVT) for lung cancer staging and assessment of resectability. When intrapericardial vessel involvement is suspected, exploration by videopericardioscopy (VPC) is also useful for assessing resectability in these cT4 cases.

[Resection of pulmonary metastases in 148 patients: analysis of prognostic factors].

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic factors for survival in a series of patients who underwent surgery for pulmonary metastases from primary tumors in distinct organs.

Patients And Methods: This was a retrospective study of 148 patients operated between May 2001 and May 2007. Multivariate analysis was used to evaluate overall survival.

[Resection of 8 mediastinal bronchogenic cysts by video-assisted thoracoscopy].

Mediastinal bronchogenic cysts are an uncommon entity and surgical experience of their removal by video-assisted thoracoscopy is limited. We present our patient outcomes and surgical technique in the treatment of bronchogenic cysts by video-assisted thoracoscopy. The study included 8 patients (4 females and 4 males between the ages of 4 and 52 years), 7 of whom presented clinical symptoms.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the thyroid with capsular invasion.

This report describes the clinical and pathologic findings of a peculiar case of solitary fibrous tumor of the thyroid gland that showed capsular invasion. After four and a half years of follow-up, neither local recurrence nor metastasis has developed.

Usefulness of videothoracoscopic intrapericardial examination of pulmonary vessels to identify resectable clinical T4 lung cancer.

Background: Discrepancies in predicting resectability by imaging techniques (computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging) compared with actual intraoperative findings have persuaded us to perform systematic exploratory videothoracoscopy (EVT) as the first step in the surgical evaluation of patients with lung cancer. Resectability of centrally located primary tumors with intrapericardial extension (clinical T4), however, can be established only by direct examination of the pericardial sac contents. Therefore, in these instances, videopericardioscopy (VPC) has been added to our protocol.