Anesthesia for Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

Anesthesia for Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

VATS is now used for most lung resections thatpreviously required open thoracotomy. The list of procedures that can be accomplished during VATS includes lung biopsy, segmental and lobar resec-tions, pleurodesis, esophageal procedures, and pericardectomy. Most procedures are performed through three or more small incisions in the chest, with the patient in the lateral decubitus position.

Anesthetic management is similar to that for open procedures, except that one-lung ventilation is required (as opposed to being desirable) for nearly all procedures.