Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery and Thoracic Oncology: Advances in Minimally Invasive Thoracic Resection

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the evolution and current evidence base for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and its application in the surgical management of lung cancer, pleural disease, mediastinal pathology, and other thoracic malignancies. Comparative outcomes between VATS and open resection are analyzed across multiple endpoints including oncologic adequacy, complication rates, length of stay, and quality of life, with reference to randomized and propensity-matched studies. The expanding indications for uniportal VATS, the integration of intraoperative navigation and near-infrared imaging, and the emerging role of non-intubated awake thoracoscopic surgery are discussed as representative frontiers in minimally invasive thoracic oncology.