BACKGROUND: The videothoracoscopy in diagnosis and management of thoracic trauma was evaluated, 51 individuals attended in the Emergency Service of the Surgery Department of Santa Casa de São Paulo with the intention of defining the function of the procedure in cases of penetrating trauma caused by stab, fire-arms projectile or blunt, in diagnosis suspected clinical or radiologic of thoracic lesions. METHODS: Were selected patients victims of thoracic trauma with diagnosis of hemothorax, precordial contusions and wounds, wounds of thoracic-abdominal transition, embedded knife in the chest and transfixing wounds of mediastinum. The procedures were accomplished in having traumatized stable (blood pressure same or superior 90mmHg). All of them were submitted to videothoracoscopy. RESULTS: videoassisted thoracic surgery is an efficient procedure in the diagnostic investigation, in cases of progressive hemothorax (4 cases) and coagulated hemothorax (11 cases), precordial contusions and wounds (3 cases), wounds of thoracic-abdominal transition (24 cases, diaphragmatic injury was confirmed in 9, 37.5%) and embedded knife from the chest (2 cases). The procedure was efficient as well in the management of progressive and coagulated hemothorax and to remove embedded knife from the chest, having avoided the thoracotomy in 33.3% of the examined individuals. CONCLUSIONS: the videothoracoscopy is efficient procedure for diagnosis and treatment in thoracic trauma and it can still avoid the thoracotomy in expressive number of patients submitted to the procedure.
Thoracic trauma; Endoscopic surgery; Videoassisted thoracic surgery
