Video-assisted thoracic surgery--a new possibility for the management of traumatic hemothorax.

Thoracic trauma usually results in severe injury and is associated with a high rate of mortality, either due to the trauma itself or due to trauma-related causes. Early diagnosis and treatment of chest injuries is a very important determinant of the outcome. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is gaining increasing importance as a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure. Especially in cases of traumatic hemothorax, this new method is very advantageous because of its simplicity, safety and efficacy in the acute phase of haemorrhage, after stabilisation of the patient, as well as in the treatment of complications.