[Surgical thoracoscopy]

Surgical thoracoscopy is performed with laparoscopic material and instrumentation and is not limited to the therapeutic applications of classical pleuroscopy such as thoracic sympathectomy or pleurectomy for pneumothorax. It is a simpler, more rapid technique which causes less tissue damage and appears to be more effective than the other transparietal techniques. It has been performed twice for sympathectomy and five times for recurrent pneumothorax with excellent results.