Near-infrared imaging for complex thoracoscopic resections

Lobectomy by video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is now considered as a standard in the treatment of early-stage lung cancer with equivalent oncologic outcome as open lobectomy (1). Consequently, the widespread practice of thoracoscopic procedures pushed surgeons to perform more extended and complex resections. The feasibility of pulmonary segmentectomy, pneumonectomy, sleeve or carinal resections by VATS has been demonstrated in expert centers (2-4). However, the clinical and oncologic safety of such procedures has yet to be established.