[Thoracoscopic Left Upper Division Segmentectomy for Multiple Ground-glass Nodules Using Preoperative Virtual-assisted Lung Mapping].

Associated with an increase of small-sized lung cancer or metachronous second primary lung cancer, we have more opportunities to perform sublobar resection. Difficulties of identifying tumor location and appropriate surgical margin for small-sized ground-glass opacity (GGO) dominant lesions in thoracoscopic surgery is the big issue of sublobar resection. Virtual-assisted lung mapping (VAL-MAP) that makes markings on the lung surface through some peripheral bronchi by bronchoscopically projects intrapulmonary anatomy on the lung surface and literally draw a map. We report a case of thoracoscopic left upper division segmentectomy for multiple ground-glass nodules (GGNs) using preoperative VAL-MAP. A 65-year-old women who had undergone right upper lobectomy for primary lung cancer, and had multiple GGNs in the bilateral lungs was followed up as an outpatient. Eleven years after initial pulmonary resection, 2 lesions in the left upper division became bigger, and we decided to perform surgery for 4 GGNs in the left upper division including these 2 lesions. We preoperatively made bronchoscopic dye markings through B1+2c, B3a and B4a for in the left upper lobe. The 3 markings were intraoperatively identified. We decided the resection line based on the markings and performed thoracoscopic left upper division segmentectomy. The pathological diagnosis was minimally invasive adenocarcinoma, adenocarcinoma in situ and pneumonitis. Surgical margins were negative. VAL-MAP will assume an important role as an intraoperative navigation system for sublobar resection.