Role of mechanical stapling devices in thoracoscopic pulmonary resection.

For its first 80 years, thoracoscopy was primarily reserved for the evaluation and treatment of pleural disease. Extension of thoracoscopic techniques to management of parenchymal lung disease remained limited until the availability of endostaplers and adaption of video-assisted techniques through minimal access incisions. The widespread acceptance of mechanical staplers in open lung resections during the previous two decades has facilitated conversion to closed methods in the past 2 years. A variety of techniques for mechanical stapling in thoracoscopy are discussed. The impact of mechanical stapling in 300 consecutive thoracoscopic pulmonary resections is presented.