Technique of thoracoscopic retrieval of the lung

Extraction of a resected specimen after a thoracic minimally invasive operation presents different problems depending on the amount of parenchyma removed. After a major pulmonary resection (lobectomy or pneumonectomy), the size of the specimen always requires a minimal thoracotomy incision of at least 5-6 cm. In the case of neoplasms it is mandatory to adopt precautions in order to protect the wound edges from possible tumoral seeding during the extraction. The authors, based on their personal experience of 545 videothoracoscopic procedures, discuss the problems of retrieving the specimens after video-endoscopic resections and describe techniques and precautions which must be taken to extract the resected tissue safely.