The expected indications for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is still an evolving surgical procedure that can be used for well-selected patients to treat various pathologies such as pleural disease, lung pathology, esophageal disease, diaphragmatic pathology, mediastinal disease, and other conditions. From the review of literature, over the years, for which VATS has been in use showed that SSA with a good sizeable population has still not embraced the surgical procedure. This is so despite the wide spectrum of diseases and clinical conditions in the region for which VATS can conveniently be applied in other to improve post-operative outcome and reduce post-operate mortality rate. Thus, this review should be a wakeup call for the region and to stimulate the desire in them to make consistent efforts by training doctors and putting the necessary infrastructures in place to ensure the adoption of this method of medical and surgical practice as it decreases post-operative complications and post-operative mortality rates.