Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was introduced nearly 2 decades ago and has experienced an exponential increase for lung cancer treatment. A pneumonectomy can be performed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery and the lung usually fits through the incision as usually used for VATS lobectomy. The most common approach for pneumonectomy is undertaken with 3 or 4 incisions, including a utility incision of about 3-6 cm. However, this resection is amenable by using only a single utility-incision. This chapter describes the technique for pneumonectomies by single-incision thoracoscopic approach with no rib spreading.
Keywords: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS); completion pneumonectomy; intrapericardial pneumonectomy; left pneumonectomy; right pneumonectomy.