VATS Using Local Anesthesia and Sedation: Lessons Learned

The authors summarizes a personal experience with 529 patients undergoing VATS operations under local anesthesia and sedation.  No nerve block, epidural, laryngeal mask airway, or endotracheal intubation was used.  Indications were lung nodule, hemothorax, empyema, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, chylothorax, etc.  There was one unsuccessful attempt using this technique.