[Thoracoscopic segmentectomy of the left upper division in a patient with endobronchial hamartoma; report of a case].

A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for treatment of an endobronchial tumor. Although he was asymptomatic and chest radiography showed no tumor shadow, bronchoscopic findings demonstrated an endobronchial tumor with a villous surface occluding the bronchus of the left upper division. Endobronchial resection was abandoned because we could not directly observe the cervix with a bronchoscope. In addition, because we could not diagnose the tumor histologically as benign by biopsy specimens, we elected to perform a segmentectomy of the left upper division. To reduce surgical stress, the operation was carried out using thoracoscopy. The tumor was finally diagnosed as endobronchial chondromatous hamartoma. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. When endobronchial resection is not feasible, a less invasive surgical approach and method should be taken in patients with suspected endobronchial hamartoma.