[Development of fusion instruments (NT forceps) for video-assisted thoracic surgery].

A lobectomy is a standard surgical operation for lung cancer. Recently, the general surgical approach for this operation has been the use of a video-assisted procedure (video-assisted thoracic surgery: VATS). Almost all thoracoscopic instruments have been developed from classical instruments, scissors or forceps. We think that thoracoscopic instruments are often limited about the handling for the procedures, because the procedures are widely demanded to understand anatomical variations in an intrathoracic space. Fusion instruments (NT forceps) with atraumatic dispositions have been developed on our device, and they are so useful tools in all technical handlings for standard operations, lobectomy. And the forceps with a new device (such as LigaSure and Harmonic Scalpel) especially show a good combination technique.