Advanced Intra-Thoracic Ultrasound-Guided Thoracoscopic Lung Resection: A Case Report

Minimally invasive surgery has recently become the standard approach for pulmonary lesion resection, and its usefulness has been reported. However, these techniques involve small incisions, making intraoperative palpation difficult. Therefore, a simple and minimally invasive method is required to identify these lesions. Herein, we present a case of thoracoscopic lung wedge resection in which intra-thoracic ultrasonography equipped with a new technology was successfully used for lesion localization. A male patient in his 60s presented with a right intrapulmonary nodule following chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer. Surgical resection was planned for the suspected malignancy. The procedure was a single-port thoracoscopic wedge resection of the right upper lobe. Intraoperatively, intra-thoracic ultrasonography successfully identified a pulmonary lesion, eliminating the need for palpation. Histopathological examination confirmed squamous cell carcinoma and complete resection was achieved. We successfully performed a single-port thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection using intraoperative thoracic ultrasonography for precise lesion localization. The ultrasound devices we used were equipped with advanced technology, enabling clearer images. This case highlights the potential utility of intra-thoracic ultrasonography in minimally invasive lung surgery, as it enables accurate lesion localization and successful resection.