Background: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for pulmonary nodules close to the visceral pleura is an established procedure. Different methods have been developed to mark these nodules when resecting small nodules distant to the pleural surface. The possibility of tumor cell spread due to nodule penetration is a major drawback. Furthermore, guide wire-based marking systems have revealed the problem of accidental wire dislocation prior to resection.
Methods: In this study, a new marker system for computed tomography-guided extranodular spiral fixed wire marking (ESFWM) was evaluated in an attempt to maintain tumor integrity while reducing the risk of wire dislocation.
Results: Our study included 42 patients with 44 marked nodules. 40 nodules were resected by VATS in 38 of these patients. The remaining 4 patients required conversion to thoracotomy due to adhesions and a non-deflated lung. Wire dislocation and nodule penetration occurred only once.
Conclusion: The new lung marker system revealed a very low risk of wire dislocation. Peritumoral marking allows the safe resection of subpleural nodules without a risk of tumor cell spread.