Therapeutic thoracoscopy

Thoracoscopy is increasingly used to treat pleuropulmonary diseases. Although anesthesia techniques are similar to those used for open thoracic surgery procedures, much of the equipment, instrumentation, and techniques are specific to video-endoscopic interventions. Many of the indications for therapeutic thoracoscopy are still controversial, depending on institutional biases and physician preferences. In this article techniques, complications, indications, and results of therapeutic thoracoscopy are discussed.