Multiportal video-assisted thoracic surgery, uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery and minimally invasive open chest surgery—selection criteria

Thoracic surgery started the path to minimally invasive surgery over a hundred years ago, with the first thoracoscopic procedure performed by Jacobeus in 1910. Interestingly, these first procedures were performed using a single port approach and were used for diagnostic and minor procedures only. For a long period of time, the progress for minimally invasive thoracic surgery was considerably slow until the early 90s, when video assisted thoracic surgery started to be used for major pulmonary resections. Since then, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) had a widespread use around the world and an ongoing search for a less invasive procedures evolved into uniportal VATS. Now, thoracic surgeons have a variety of choices for minimally invasive thoracic surgery and must be trained in these approaches to keep up with the evolution of the specialty and be up to date with the recommended treatments for diseases needing surgical intervention. The approach chosen by each surgeon is a matter of preference, while keeping in mind certain characteristics specific to the pathology and patient to be treated, the level of training of the surgeon, and the healthcare resources available. As more evidence is collected, the choice for video-assisted procedures, which have currently been proven safe, effective, less invasive and, in general, show good results, will prevail.