Lung Biopsies with the Curved Radial Reload™ Stapler.

Objective: We describe our experience at the James Cook University Hospital (UK) in using the curved Radial Reload™ (RR) stapler (Medtronic, Dublin, Ireland) for lung wedge resections, which is an endoscopic stapler used mainly in endoscopic general surgery.

Materials And Methods: A single center experience (James Cook University Hospital) for patients who had superficial or deep video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lung wedge resection, using the curved RR stapler.

Results: Seven patients had superficial or deep VATS lung biopsies-their ages ranged from 38 to 75 years, with a median length of hospital stay of two days (one to six days), and a mean length of hospital stay of 2.5 days. No complications were encountered.

Conclusion: The curved RR stapler is effective in several situations and allows fewer firing of staplers. Our experience would suggest that they are as haemostatic and pneumostatic as the straight staplers and can be used effectively in both superficial and deep lung biopsies.