This fear of thoracotomies dwarfs the very real risks of prolonged illness and debility.
Troubleshooting at the 6th Uniportal VATS course in Potsdam

Potsdam, Germany Many of the modern masters of thoracic surgery were in Potsdam, Germany this June to discuss a myriad of topics in this year’s course until the heading of Troubleshooting. The […]
Nonintubated uniportal VATS surgery: A single center experience in Korea
Today’s recommended read is for all of the thoracic surgeons out there that are interested in establishing their own nonintubated uniportal programs. This is a interesting article if you’ve taken a masterclass on […]
International VATS 2018: Segmentectomies

Monza, Italy Dr. Scarci has returned to his native Italy, and his first-born child, the International VATS Symposium has come with him. Now the chief of thoracic surgery at the 1,000 bed […]
the 4th VATS International

The fourth VATS International Symposium is this October 20th – 21st, 2017. As readers know, this course has been highly recommended in the past by Thoracics.org. The preliminary program has been released, […]
Now accepting submissions for the Thoracics.org VATS International Award

The first ever Thoracics.org Award to recognize innovation and achievement in thoracic surgery is now accepting submissions.
Highlights from the 3rd VATS International

If you can only attend one thoracic surgery conference, shortlist VATS International.
Why you should have attended VATS Peru 2016

Why you should have attended VATS Peru 2016 There were plenty of reasons for surgeons from all over Latin America to converge on Cuscu, Peru for the 2nd annual VATS PERU Uniportal […]
At VATS Peru 2016

Cusco, Peru Day One of the VATS Peru 2016 Conference was a primer for surgeons interested in learned and performing uniportal VATS. Dr. Gonzalez Rivas’ lectures formed the basis of theory and […]
VATS Peru 2016

VATS Peru 2016 – learn uniportal and subxiphoid techniques in the wet lab, at the hands of the inventors of these techniques at this year’s conference in Cusco, Peru.
Advanced Course on Major Pulmonary Resections through Uniportal VATS

Learn Uniportal VATS from the masters – with a hands-on wet lab..
Fast track thoracic surgery: Non-intubated minimally invasive surgery for complex procedures

Single port thoracoscopic surgery and awake anesthesia: the micro-invasive thoracic surgery? The current research and use of these state of the art techniques to bring minimally invasive surgery to complex surgery and high risk patients.
Conference Highlight: Uniportal lobectomy: Intubated and Non-intubated

Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas discusses intubated and nonintubated uniportal thoracic surgery for complex thoracic procedures
NHS thoracic offering: Cambridge International VATS symposium

information about the upcoming VATS symposium in Cambridge, UK – with featured speakers Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas and Ian Hunt.
Live streaming single-port surgery: International Symposium

the latest from Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas and the masters of thoracic surgery.
Single port thoracoscopy for diaphragmatic disorders
a report from Dr. Chin Hao Chen and his colleagues at Mackay Memorial Hospital on 21 cases of diaphragmatic plication via single and dual port thoracoscopy.
16th National Continuing Education Forum in General Thoracic Surgery

Report from the recent 16th National Forum on Thoracic Surgery in Shanghai, China.
VGTT: video-guided tube thoracostomy
Dr. Chin Hao Chen revisits one of the basic procedures in thoracic surgery: Chest tube placement
Case Report: Hilar mass resection using single port thoracoscopy with Dr. Diego Gonzalez – Rivas

in the operating room with Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas for single port thoracoscopic (uniportal) surgery.
Dr. Gonzalez Rivas, Johnson & Johnson and Single-port thoracic surgery

the 2013 S.W.A.T conference, presented by Johnson & Johnson. Featured presenters Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas and Dr. Paula Ugalde discuss single port thoracoscopy and topics in minimally invasive surgery
Rocco et al. “Ten year experience on 644 patients undergoing single-port (uniportal) video-assisted surgery

Reviewing “Ten years experience on 644 patients undergoing single-port (uniportal) video-assisted” by Gaetano Rocco et al. at the National Cancer Institute in Naples, Italy
Post operative pain after thoracic surgery

What kind of pain should patients expect after thoracic surgery, and how long will it last? Also, is this normal? When should I call my doctor?
Courses / Classes and meetings on Uni-port thoracoscopic techniques with Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas
For thoracic surgeons interested in becoming more familiar with uniport surgery, this is your chance to learn from the pioneers of the technique.
Ultra-fast open tracheostomy
Dr. Chin-Hao Chen demonstrates ‘ultrafast open tracheostomy.’
Bilateral surgery using a unilateral single-port approach: the Chen technique
a sneak peak at a game-changer in thoracic surgery – unilateral single-port surgery for bilateral disease
Cardiac sympathetic denervation for ventricular arrhythmias: case study and clinical trials

a clinical case report from Bogota, Colombia – and the work of Dr. Kalyanam Shivkumar, MD, PhD, Director, UCLA Cardiac Arrhythmia Center on treating ventricular arrhythmias with cardiac sympathetic denervation, including an upcoming clinical trial.
Single port sleeve right upper lobectomy
the latest video from Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas demonstrating a sleeve lobectomy via single port surgery
Evolving thoracic surgery: from open surgery to single port thoracoscopic surgery and future robotic
the future of thoracic surgery as seen by one of the New Masters, Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas.
Case Report: Repair of diaphragm defect in Hepatic Hydrothorax

Case report with video of SITS (single incision thoracoscopic surgery) repair of diaphragm defect in a case of hepatic hydrothorax resulting from liver cirrhosis with Dr. Chih-Hao Chen, MAckay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan
1st Asian Single Port Symposium & Live Surgery

Interested in learning more about single port thoracoscopy, or talking to the inventors of this technique? This March – head to the 1st Asian single port surgery conference in Hong Kong.
In the operating room with Dr. Mauricio Velaquez: Single port thoracoscopy

a day in the operating room with one of Colombia’s New Masters of Thoracic Surgery
Talking with Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas about single port surgery

an Interview with Dr. Diego Gonzalez Rivas – and coverage of ‘Videotoracoscopia y cirugia robotica en torax: Avances y perspectivas’ in Santiago, Chile
Single port thoracoscopy for wedge resection – does size matter?

Dr. Chen discusses single port thoracoscopy – and specimen size.
Single-port thoracoscopy as a first-line approach & the “Chen esophagectomy”

Dr. Chih-Hao Chen at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan talks about his experiences with single port/ single incision thoracic surgery (SITS) as well as the “Chen esophagectomy”; a new single port approach to esophagectomies.
Robotic surgery with Dr. Ricardo Buitrago, thoracic surgeon

Robotic (thoracic) surgery comes to Clinica de Marly in Bogota, Colombia
VATS Sympathectomy for hyperhidrosis: Dr. Jose Ribas de Milanez de Campos

One of the world’s experts on sympathectomy and the treatment of hyperhidrosis reviews the evidence at the XVI Congreso Boliviano Sociedad de Cirugia Cardiaca, Toracica y Vascular 2012.
Upcoming conference: Robotic & minimally invasive surgery

Cirugia de torax prepares to head to Chile for the latest in Robotics and Minimally-invasive surgery
Dual port VATS for recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax: Foroulis et. al
A newly published study comparing dual port thoracoscopy with mini-thoracotomy for the treatment of recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax
Case Report: Dual port thoracoscopy for decortication, part II

case report on dual port thoracoscopy
Block, Tuffier, Blalock & Gonzalez? Returning to single incision thoracoscopic surgery with Dr. Diego Gonzalez – Rivas
Checking in with Dr. Diego Gonzalez – Rivas and his team in Coruna, Spain – the innovators in single incision thoracic surgery, as Dr. Gonzalez publishes a new report on single incision pneumonectomy.
Sandy Ogawa, ACNP and anti-reflux surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital

Talking with Sandra Ogawa, ACNP about ‘What to do when the purple pill fails?”
The Clamshell Incision

Talking about the clamshell incision in thoracic, cardiac and vascular surgery. Also, soliciting surgical photographs.
Blebs, Bullae and Spontaneous Pneumothorax

Overview of spontaneus pneumothorax and treatment modalities.
Esophagectomy: Modern surgical approaches
A brief discussion of the variety of surgical approaches used for esophagectomy for esophageal cancer including Ivor Lewis, Transhiatal and minimally invasive techniques.
Pneumonectomy: for Tuberculosis
a discussion of Tuberculosis as a surgical disease, with a look at the historical perspectives.
Thoracic surgery and Robots!
a selection of full text references talking about robotics and thoracic surgery.
More about robotic surgery – article re-post
Answers to some of your questions about the basics of Robotic surgery in this re-post of a 2005 article by Dr. Morris.
VATS decortication: Empyema

an in-depth look at video-assisted thoracoscopy for decortication of advanced empyema.
SITS lobectomy with Dr. Diego Gonzalez
Discussion of a case report by Gonzalez, Paradela, Garcia & Dela Torre (2011) of a lobectomy by single incision thoracoscopic surgery.
Single Incision Thoracoscopic Surgery (SITS) for spontaneous pneumothorax

Chen et. al discuss their experience with single incision thoracoscopic surgery (SITS) in the treatment of spontaneous pneumothorax in this Taiwanese study.
Extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for malignant pleural mesothelioma revisited: the Australian experience
A discussion of and link to the Yan et. al (2011) article, “Improving survival rates after surgical management of pleural malignant mesothelioma: an australian institutional experience” as part of a series of posts on mesothelioma and extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP).
Pulmonary Metastasectomy: Cherry Pickin’
A brief description of pulmonary metastasectomy (lung resection for metastatic disease) with a limited review of recent literature.
Extrapleural Pneumonectomy: EPP
Extrapleural pneumonectomy for malignant mesothelioma
SITS: That’s Single Incision Thoracoscopic Surgery
the development and application of single-port thoracoscopic surgery, (or the lack there of.)
Outpatient Treatment for Malignant Effusions
Discussion of treatment goals, and patient centered care for Malignant pleural effusions. This is the first in a series of articles on lung cancer, and lung surgery topics. Originally posted at our sister site.