Minimally Invasive Approaches in the Thoracic Surgery

Minimally invasive techniques in thoracic surgery have made great progress over the past 20 years and are still evolving. Many surgical procedures performed with large thoracotomy incisions in the past can now be performed with much smaller incisions. With many studies, the advantages of minimally invasive surgery have been clearly seen, and thus its use has become widespread worldwide. Today, minimally invasive surgical methods have become the first choice in the diagnosis and treatment of lung, pleural and mediastinal pathologies. Minimally invasive approaches in thoracic surgery include many different techniques and applications. In this chapter, current minimally invasive techniques in thoracic surgery are discussed and important points are emphasized in the light of the current literature