With the wide utilization of high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in the lung cancer screening, patients detected with pulmonary ground-glass nodules (GGNs) have increased over time and account for a large proportion of all thoracic diseases. Because of its less invasiveness and fast recovery, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) is currently the first choice of surgical approach to lung nodule resection. However, GGNs are usually difficult to recognize during VATS, and failure of nodule localization would result in conversion to thoracotomy or extended lung resection. In order to cope with this problem, a series of approaches for pulmonary nodule localization have developed in the last few years. This article aims to summarize the reported methods of lung nodule localization and analyze its corresponding pros and cons, in order to help thoracic surgeons to choose appropriate localization method in different clinical conditions.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility and safety of using indocyanine green combined with autologous blood and methylene blue for localization of small lung nodules during thoracoscopic wedge resection. MethodsPatients who underwent CT-guided percutaneous lung puncture injection of localization agents to locate lung nodules at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from November 2023 to January 2024 were selected. Under thoracoscopy, lung nodules were located by white light mode, fluorescence mode, or near-infrared mode and wedge resection was performed. The feasibility of using indocyanine green combined with autologous blood and methylene blue for localization of small lung nodules was preliminarily verified by evaluating whether the localization agent concentrated around the nodules, and the safety of this method was verified by analyzing the incidence of adverse reactions during patient puncture and surgery. ResultsA total of 30 patients with lung nodules were included, including 10 males and 20 females, with an average age of 55.5±11.2 years. In 26 patients, the amount of localization agent used was moderate, the localization agent concentrated around the nodules, and successful precise localization of small lung nodules was achieved. Nodules were found in all resected tissues, with negative margins and a distance from the margin to the lesion that met the requirements. In 4 patients, due to excessive use of localization agent, the marker was diffuse with pleural staining. The overall localization success rate was 86.7%, and when the injection volume of localization agent was 0.2-0.5 mL, the localization success rate was 100.0%. All patients successfully completed thoracoscopic wedge resection and found nodule lesions, with negative margins and a distance from the margin to the lesion that met the requirements. ConclusionThoracoscopic surgery using indocyanine green combined with autologous blood and methylene blue for localization of small lung nodules is safe and feasible.