Articles

Over 50 years of working as a surgeon, many stories and situations have remained etched in my memory. I hope the reader will evaluate them ethically and determine for themselves what is good and what is bad.

Videothoracoscopy can be considered the method of choice in the treatment of benign tumors and mediastinal cysts, since the trauma of conventional thoracotomy in some cases is significantly higher than the trauma of the actual tumor removal stage.

The study of the lymphatic system and clinical observations have shown that with a medial and central location of the tumor, damage to the parasternal lymph nodes is possible, which is associated with the peculiarities of lymphatic outflow from the internal quadrants of the mammary gland.

If conservative therapy with punctures, closed drainage and sanitation of the pleural empyema cavity is unsuccessful, thoracoscopy is used.

Differentiating between benign and malignant peripheral lung tumors is complex. Peripheral lung tumors and solitary metastases are indications for surgical treatment.

Thoracic sympathectomy is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures. Its minimal intervention and ease of execution are incomparable to the extensive chest trauma associated with traditional thoracotomy.

Most patients with closed and penetrating organ injuries undergo diagnostic thoracotomy or conservative treatment. Therefore, on the one hand, unnecessary traumatic thoracotomies may be performed, while on the other, conservative tactics may delay the patient's necessary surgical intervention.

TSSE is highly effective in patients with tumors of the head of the pancreas and less effective in patients with painful chronic pancreatitis.

The introduction of endoscopic surgery into clinical practice has also extended to thoracic procedures. The previously known diagnostic thoracoscopy has evolved into a new field—operative thoracoscopy.

Diagnostic thoracoscopy, thanks to the ability to obtain histological or cytological material, allows for a definitive conclusion about the nature of the pathological process.