Surgical Procedures & Innovations  Thoracic Minimal Access Surgery
At Columbia University Medical Center, our thoracic surgeons can perform the most innovative, minimal access procedures to treat thoracic diseases, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.
We also offer minimal access approaches for the treatment of hyperhidrosis and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Minimally invasive thoracic surgery allows the performance of diagnostic and surgical procedures in the chest cavity utilizing small incisions and specially-adapted, videoendoscopic instruments.
This affords a quicker and less painful convalescence for the patient.
Thoracoscopy refers to insertion of a narrow tube called an endoscope through a with a tiny camera or a viewing mirror through a small incision in the chest wall.
Many procedures which were previously performed with larger incisions can now be done thoracoscopically, with comparable results.
At Columbia, thoracoscopy helps treat the following conditions:
- Interstitial Lung Disease —
The diagnosis of interstitial lung disease has become significantly more accurate as a result of thoracoscopy.
Multiple areas of the lung can be biopsed and scanned to determine the presence of this disorder without the need for a large incision.
- Lung Cancer —
Thoracoscopy is used frequently to assist in the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of lung cancer.
- Pulmonary Nodules —
In addition to aiding in the diagnosis of pulmonary nodules, thoracoscopy can significantly reduce the morbidity associated with the traditional surgical removal of lung nodules.
- Spontaneous Pneumothorax —
Thoracoscopy affords better visualization of the entire lung surface in patients with spontaneous pneumonthorax (collapsed lungs).
Patients who receive this procedure also experience less postoperative pain than traditional surgical methods.
Performed in the sympathetic nerve through two microscopic incisions, Endoscopic Thoracic Sympathectomy (ETS) seeks to eliminate the constant stimulation of sweat glands in patients with hyperhidrosis, while maintaining other normal nerve function.
The Transaxillary Approach for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is the preferred method of treatment for patients with severe symptoms related to the compression of the brachial plexus.
The transaxillary approach combined with video assistance affords complete visualization of the thoracic outlet through a small incision, enabling decompression with less postoperative pain.
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