Annales de chirurgie
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Annales de chirurgie · Mar 2003
Review[Videothoracospy in thoracic trauma and penetrating injuries].
Videothoracoscopy represents a valid and useful approach in some patients with blunt chest trauma or penetrating thoracic injury. This technique has been validated for the treatment of clotted hemothorax or posttraumatic empyema, traumatic chylothorax, traumatic pneumothorax, in patients with hemodynamic stability. Moreover, it is probably the most reliable technique for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic injury. ⋯ Performing video-surgery in the trauma setting require expertise in both video-assisted thoracic surgery and chest trauma management. The contra-indications to videothoracoscopy and indications for converting the procedure to an open thoracotomy should be perfectly known by surgeons performing video-assisted thoracic surgery in the trauma setting. Conversion to thoracotomy or median sternotomy should be performed without delay whenever needed to avoid blood loss and achieve an adequate procedure.