Trans Oral-Substernum Incision Thoracic Endoscopic Surgery: A Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Approach in Thoracic Surgery

Flexible endoscope is used in Natural Orifice Trans-luminal Endoscopic Surgery. Cervical incision thoracic surgery has recently been described. The use of a flexible endoscope through a natural orifice into the thoracic cavity still remains ethically doubtful. The authors present a surgical experimental study using a flexible endoscope through oral-substernum incision for the exploration of both the thoracic cavity in dog model. An experimental work on 5 male mongrel dogs was initiated. Through a small incision at oral floor, we performed simultaneous exploration of the pleural cavities. Identification and biopsies of pleural and lung was performed. None chest tube was placed in the thoracic cavity at the end of all pleural procedures. The potential advantages of this approach are exploration of the thoracic cavity and the performance of several thoracic interventions through oral floor. The flexible endoscope could become a surgical tool for thoracic surgery.