Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of preoperative computed tomography (CT)-guided needle localization of small pulmonary nodules for video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS).

Materials and Methods: Between October 2018 and June 2021, 32 consecutive small pulmonary nodules were treated with preoperative CTguided needle localization of less than 2 cm pulmonary nodules for VATS. All basic characteristic and Procedural success, technical success, and complication rates were evaluated from the medical record.

Results: The procedures were blue-dye needle localization by isosulfan blue (94%), and hook-wire needle localization (6%). The median size of the tumor was 9 mm (range 2 to 17 mm). The initial procedural success rate of the CT-guided needle localization procedure was 100%. The technical success rate was 90.6%. Approximately 73% of the resected lung nodules were pathologically proven malignancies. Minor complications, such as minimal pneumothorax (34%) and minimal parenchymal hemorrhage (13%), occurred at the needle access site.

Conclusion: Preoperative CT-guided needle localization in VATS for small pulmonary nodules was feasible and safe.

Keywords: Thoracic surgery; Video-assisted; Multiple pulmonary nodules; Tomography; X-Ray computed

DOI: 10.35755/jmedassocthai.2023.04.13841

Received 17 October 2022 | Revised 28 February 2023 | Accepted 28 February 2023