What Is Thoracoscopic Wedge Resection?

What Is Thoracoscopic Wedge Resection?

Thoracoscopic wedge resection involves removing a small, wedge-shaped piece of the lung tissue.

Thoracoscopic wedge resection is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that involves a small surgical cut (incision) for the removal of a small, wedge-shaped piece of the lung tissue. This surgery is used for removing a small tumor or to diagnose lung conditions. 

In this surgery, a thin flexible tube-like device, called a thoracoscope, is inserted through a small incision in the patient’s chest. The thoracoscope carries a tiny camera that helps the surgeon to visualize the inside of the chest and operate without performing a big incision or spreading the ribs. The wedge can be sent for lab examination to diagnose the disease condition. The procedure is also called video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).

Certain medical conditions, such as lung cancers, may require a part of the lungs to be removed to limit the spread of cancer in the body. The lungs are divided into segments based upon certain anatomical criteria such as different blood supply. 

In lung segmentectomy surgery, these anatomic criteria are considered to resect or remove a lung segment. In wedge resection, however, nonanatomic lung resection is performed to remove a wedge of the lungs. Removing a small diseased portion of the lungs is a great approach because it preserves most of the functional lungs. This is only possible when the disease is confined to a small part of the lungs. 

Thoracoscopic wedge resection is an ideal procedure for the treatment of lung cancers that require the removal of small lesions of cancer cells (lung nodules). The procedure is not advised if the tumor cells are not embedded deep within the lung tissue. 

A thoracoscopic wedge resection surgery is also preferred for patients who cannot tolerate a major surgery or for removing a large-sized section of the lungs, such as a lobe (lobectomy), when there may be a significant decrease in lung function. The procedure is used for both the diagnosis and treatment of many cancers and noncancer lung conditions.