Needlescopic operation for partial lung resection.

Needlescopic operation using instruments with a diameter of 2 mm has not been applied to partial lung resection because of the difficulty in grasping the lung firmly or the possibility of injuring the lung easily with 2-mm forceps. We have developed a technique using a mini-loop retractor and successfully performed partial lung resection in 35 patients with pneumothorax, small lung tumor, or interstitial pneumonia.